Entomophily

Entomophily refers to the adaptation of flowers to the pollination by insects. The term Entomogamie frequently used should be avoided because the ending- gamie fertilization means.

Insects make up the majority of animal pollinators ( zoophilia ). The great diversity there are no features that go beyond the general characteristics of animal pollination: attraction by color and / or fragrance, reward by nectar and / or pollen.

Pollination by insects is the original pollination mechanism in the angiosperms. The evolution of the carpel is associated with the protection of seed plants from pollinating beetles. Also, some groups of gymnosperms are pollinated by insects, the cycads ( Cycadales ) and the Welwitschia ( Welwitschia mirabilis ).

Adaptation to individual Bestäubergruppen has led to certain characteristic syndromes:

• Cantharophilie (beetles)
• Lepidopterophilie (butterflies ), including: Psychophilie ( butterflies )
• Sphingophilie ( revelers )
• Phalaenophilie (moth )