Magnolias Are So Old That They're Pollinated by Beetles, Not Bees
Magnolias are ancient flowers that predate bees by millions of years, relying instead on beetles for pollination. Their large, bowl-shaped blooms and strong scents evolved specifically to attract these early insects. With thick, leathery petals, magnolias withstand the clumsy movements of beetles, showcasing a resilient partnership that has thrived since the time of dinosaurs.
The way they pollinate is more of a happy accident.
- teh_klev
These are the original articles this re-heat was created from:
- https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/magnolias-be...
- https://gardens.si.edu/learn/blog/the-botany-of-magnolias/
- mvidal01
Some insects gather nectar from a flower and don't pollinate the flower. This is called nectar robbing.
See https://www.backyardecology.net/not-all-flower-visitors-are-...
- chabes
A lot of plants aren’t pollinated by bees. There’s pollinator wasps, flies, moths, butterflies… even birds and bats are pollinators
- TacticalMalice
The earliest angiosperms appeared in the Cretaceous. This is after the appearance of Hymenoptera (Jurassic) and Diptera (Triassic). While a nice story, this needs additional substantiation. An alternative explanation is likelier imo.
- palata
Pretty sure I see many bees on Magnolias.