http://www.buyartsuppliesonline.org/many-colors/
Why do flowers have so many shapes and colors?
If the purpose of flowers is to attract insects and insects are attracted by a particular color say red. Why don't we have only red flowers? Why have so many colors and shapes? I love the variety and have a wonderful garden but was wondering about the need from nature's point of view..
Flowers show a typical insect pollination syndrome: a flower shape, a distinct colouring and fragrance as well as when the flower is open and the type of reward it offers to attract a specific type of insect or other pollinator. Flowers must advertise to attract their most effective pollinators specifically. Plants face a trade-off between attracting pollinators and remaining hidden from flower parasites such as nectar robbers who do not pollinate but take the nectar anyway. Flowers usually fit their partners anatomy to limit access by all others.
Bee flowers typically have a delicate, sweet scent, which the bees can smell before they can see the flowers. Bees are attracted to open bowl shaped flowers like roses or broad tubular flowers like snapdragons or foxgloves that allow easy landing or fit the bees body. Bees have short tongues so they like composite flowers (Bluebeard Caryopteris, beebalm), larkspur, heather, & aromatic herbs (thyme, borage). Bees are also attracted to flowers shaped to provide warmth. Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and sunflowers (Helianthus) amplify their color signal with a ring of large sterile blossoms around the fertile flowers. The large flat floral disc's hold the heat they collect so bees muscles don't cool off while gathering pollen.
Warmth as a floral reward to its pollinator
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5236334.stm
http://www.livescience.com/animals/060802_bees_flower.html
Flowers that attract Lepidoptera (moths & butterflies) vary their color, scent and timing. Moths at evening & night are offered late opening blossoms in white or very pale flowers since color is less useful in the dusk compared to scent. The flowers come in clusters and provide support for the moth to land on with ample nectar deeply hidden in such as morning glory, tobacco, yucca, and gardenia to prevent nectar robbers who do not pollinate in return for the food. Bougainvillea flowers open at sunset first but remain open several days. The plant has several methods of attracting pollination partners with its fragrance and color. Bougainvillea are pollinated by moths attracted by the strong fragrance in the evening hours. However the red color attracts birds in the following daylight hours if the flowers failed to attract moths first. The flower offers nectar as a reward to either pollinator. If this fails the day after opening the floral tube twists to ensure self-pollination should the flower be unfertilized by the preferred moths or birds.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/moths.shtml
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hawk_moths.shtml
http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:8UaGPbNJWN4J:www.new.dli.ernet.in/rawdataupload/upload/insa/INSA_1/20005b7e_498.pdf+bougainvillea+moth+pollination&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=firefox-a
Butterflies in daylight, often visit the same flowers as hummingbirds because both species see red and near infra-red but butterflies prefer pink or less strident colors like buddleia and dianthus offer while hummers prefer vivid Glory Bower vines, fuchsias and Hummingbird vine.
Birds have little or no sense of smell so floral fragrance is to lure the insects.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=521733
Butterfly vision
http://webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/17C.html
Tubular flowers are offered so only the species with long tongues can reach the nectar easily. Hover flies may also visit some of these.
Honeysuckle like Lonicera periclymenum flowers appear pink when seen from above, pale yellow when viewed from below, hence the particular dual attraction of this species for both butterfly and moth.
http://www.rainyside.com/features/plant_gallery/vines/Lonicera_periclymenum_var_serotinaFlorida.html
Bird pollinated flowers advertise with red colors to birds but not blue for bees because the bees are to small to pick up the pollen from flowers coevolved to fit a bird’s larger size.
Bird pollinated flowers are ornithophyllous (‘bird-loving’)
scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata)
scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)
Fuchsia flowers are pendulous tubes in varying shades of red to attract their primary pollinator, the hummingbird.
Beetles are important pollinator partners with very ancient types of plants. The flowers they visit are large and strongly scented like magnolias or Spice Bush with spicy scents and pale colors. Beetles can detect color but scent is more important.
The red corn poppy Papaver rhoeas; in the eastern Mediterranean region, it is pollinated by beetles and does not reflect in the UV, while in central and western Europe it reflects in the UV and is pollinated by bees.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/beetles.shtml
http://www.answers.com/topic/coleoptera-2
Flowers that usually self fertilize tend to be small, inconspicuous & unscented. They are white or green with little pollen since they are not offering a reward with it. They keep their anthers very close to their stigmas so the pollen transfers easily.
Flies attracted to carrion are offered blossoms in the dark purple reds of flesh wounds. Hover flies have shown a preference for white and yellow, but are not stimulated by blue colors. Green flowers are often fly pollinated.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/flower_flies.shtml
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol5/iss1/art5/
http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/syrphid/syrphid.htm
Syrphid Flies ID
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/syrphid_flies_syrphidae
http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/tn_consv/archive/flowers.htm
http://home.att.net/~larvalbugbio/carrionflower.html
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0602.htm
Other flowers that are pollinated by flies are simple, flat to offer easy landing, & in pale, dull colors. The strong fragrance of flowers in the parsley and mustard families attracts flies. Aristolochia vines, like the Dutchman’s Pipe, attract blood midges and other flies.
http://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dictionary/Dictionary_M/dictionary_myophily.htm
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