Nature connections: Pollination
Pollination is what happens when pollen, made by male parts of a plant, transfers to the female part of the plant.
Pollination needs to happen for a plant to be fertilised, and make seeds.
Plants have different ways of becoming pollinated. Some plants pollinate themselves, and others need the wind or animals to help.
Animal pollination
Lots of plants need animals for pollination. Bright flowers attract animals to feed on nectar and pollen. As animals go from flower to flower, any pollen stuck on them may pollinate another flower.
Lots of insects, as well as birds and bats, are important pollinators in Montserrat. These animals play an important part in pollinating crops and medicinal plants too.
Booklet: Montserrat's pollinators and seed dispersers
Activity: Colouring sheet
Antillean Crested Hummingbird
Activity: Colouring sheet
Bottle Bee
Activity: Colouring sheet
Butterflies
Activity: Colouring sheet
Angerona Hairstreak
Activity: Colouring sheet
Caribbean Paper Wasp
Activity: Colouring sheet
Montserratian Wasps
Activity: Colouring sheet
Spotless Ladybird
Wind pollination
Some plants are pollinated by the wind. For example, many grasses are pollinated by the wind.
Rather than having colourful flowers with nectar that attract animal pollinators, wind-pollinated plants tend to have smaller flowers.
Activity: Plant lifecycles (simple)
Make your own plant lifecycle (Grade 2)
Activity: Plant lifecycles (detailed)
Make your own plant lifecycle (Grade 5-6)
