wild pink orchid

"To preserve orchids in the wild, it is essential to protect the insects and birds of the region. Orchids are masters at making such creatures do their bidding, all to insure pollination and reproduction. Some species lure specific insects to them with the scent of food. Others fool male flies by looking like a female fly. A particularly active orchid shoots sticky pollen balls at bees while another is said to intoxicate them so they fall into a bucket of water and, in taking the one path out, pick up pollen on the way. Each orchid is pollinated by a specific insect or bird and it is only rarely that an orchid species can successfully use another bird or insect as pollinator. Because of this specificity, preservation of orchids in the wild depends on preservation of the entire ecosystem."

lady slipper