500 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. XII, No.6, 



SOME ENTOMOPHILOUS FLOWERS OF CEDAR POINT, 



OHIO. 



Allex C. Conger. 



In a region with such a diverse flora, and where even the 

 casual observer is struck by the great numbers of Hymenoptera 

 (bees) and Diptera (flies), it is but natural that the study of those 

 flowers depending upon insects for pollination should prove 

 interesting and instructive. The observations which fonn the 

 basis for this article were made during the summer of 1911 under 

 the direction of Dr. O. E. Jennings, Instructor in Plant Ecology 

 at the Lake Laboratory, Cedar Point, Ohio, and his suggestions 

 have been of great aid. Reference has been freely made to books 

 at hand, especially to the "Hand-book of Insect PolHnation" 

 by Knuth. 



Sir John Lubbock and Hemiann Mueller state that blue 

 flowers are the favorites of bees and the occurrence in this region 

 of a fauna, rich in H}nmenoptera, especially the solitary forms, 

 and a flora marked by many blue and violet flowers, especially 

 in or near the sandy spots chosen by the bees for their burrows 

 would tend to confirm this theory. 



Labiates and others alike show a remarkable similarity in the 

 relative positions of stamens and stigma. The majority of types 

 under consideration possess two pairs of stamens of unequal 

 length, the outer pair being the longer. In nearly all cases the 

 anthers are found in the upper lobe of the two-lipped corolla, 

 this being the most advantageous position for scattering pollen 

 upon the insect visitor. In addition, such a position makes 

 difficult the stealing of pollen by unwelcome visitors, especially 

 the creeping forms. The styles, especially in the Labiates were 

 found to elongate with age and undoubtedly in some cases self- 

 pollination could occur as the stigmatic surface was being pushed 

 past the anthers. 



The species, with one exception are found in Knuth 's Class 4, 

 Flowers with Concealed Nectar. This class of flowers shows 

 much zygomorphism, thus indicating a high degree of flower 

 specialization. Reds, blues, and violets are the predominating 

 colors as opposed to the whites and yellows of the flowers with 

 more exposed nectar. The higher degree of specialization in the 

 flowers calls for a corresponding advance in the specialization of 

 their visitors. The nectar can be conveniently sipped by short- 

 tongued bees and long-tongued wasps, as well as by certain of the 

 Diptera (Bombylidae and Syrphidae) and a number of the Lep- 

 idoptera. This is more difficult for the shorter tongued flies 

 (Muscidae) and for the same reason the beetles are very infre- 



