The bee, the flower, and the electric field: electric ecology and aerial electroreception

Abstract

Overview

The co-evolutionary relationship between bees and flowering plants has long been acknowledged. Both have developed features critical for the process of pollination, which is essential for each species.

Findings

• Bees and flowers utilize various sensory modalities like vision, smell, and touch for interaction.
• Recent research has introduced a new sensory modality—detecting electrostatic fields that develop between flowers and bees, facilitating pollination.
• Using finite-element modeling and experimental evidence, new insights have been gained into how these electrical interactions take place.
• The study focuses specifically on pollen transfer, breaking down the process' necessary components such as the atmospheric electric field, the bees' ability to accumulate positive charge, and the plants' tendency to have a negative charge.

Conclusion

This research not only advances our understanding of bee-flower interactions but also signals the need for more in-depth investigation into the mechanisms of electrostatic interactions and aerial electroreception.