Learning and Memory Performance of Wild Bees

The forerunners of today’s flowering plants were mainly pollinated by wind, and insect pollination only emerged around 135 million years ago. This allowed pollen to be spread more effectively. Plants developed increasingly striking flower shapes, colors and scents to attract insects. In addition to pollen, nectar was also offered. Often only visible to the bee’s eye, so-called nectar marks, and smells showed the way to the nectar source. The advantage for the plant: the insects always flew to the same productive species. This meant that pollen was transported particularly accurately to plants of the same species. This required the insects to be able to see colors, perceive scents and develop learning and memory skills.

Flower specialists: Bees and plants have a very close connection and are dependent on one another. Around a third of the 550 wild bee species found in Germany are specialized in collecting pollen from a single plant family or genus.
If the bee disappears, the plant also disappears and vice versa!

quote/source: https://mecklenburg-vorpommern.nabu.de
Specialization and Protection of Wild Bees