The Hummingbird moth is mostly active at night. They are attracted to a strong, sweet odor. Like hummingbirds, they can remain suspended in the air in front of the flower. They can unfold their tongues to reach into several types of flowers. Given this information, in three to five sentences, answer the following questions: What is one feature of a flower that is trying to attract the Hummingbird moth as a pollinator? Considering the information above and what your knowledge from this lesson, would flowers be more reproductively successful if they adapted to more than just the needs of one pollinator, such as the Hummingbird moth? Explain your answer. (4 points) then explain it to a 7th grader

3 answers

One feature of a flower that tries to attract the Hummingbird moth is a strong, sweet odor, which helps signal to the moth that there is nectar available. Flowers that adapt to the needs of more than one pollinator can be more reproductively successful because they increase their chances of being visited by different animals. For instance, if a flower also attracts bees or butterflies, it won't rely solely on the Hummingbird moth for pollination. This means the flower can produce more seeds and grow more plants, increasing its chances of survival.

To explain it to a 7th grader: Imagine a flower is like a restaurant. If it only makes food that tastes good to one specific customer, like the Hummingbird moth, it might not get many visitors. But if it makes food that tastes good to lots of different customers, like bees or butterflies too, more animals will come and help the flower make seeds. This can help the flower grow and spread more!

now wright it as a 7th grader

One way a flower attracts the Hummingbird moth is by having a strong, sweet smell. This tells the moth that there’s yummy nectar inside. If flowers were designed to appeal to more than just the Hummingbird moth, they could be more successful. This is because if a flower attracts different animals, like bees or butterflies, those pollinators can help spread pollen around more. This way, the flower has a better chance to make seeds and grow more plants, which is super important for its survival! So, just like a restaurant that serves food everyone loves, flowers can benefit by attracting a variety of pollinators!