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Asian honey bee pollinates pigeon orchid flower

LW Teo
on 22nd December 2021

A lone Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) was observed flitting in between fresh blooms of pigeon orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum) flowers on 19 December 2021.  A very short video of the bee in action is captured in the video below.

 

Pigeon orchids are epiphytes which bloom when a critical drop in night temperature stimulates the underdeveloped flower buds to complete their growth, and to burst forth in unison approximately 10 days later.  The flowers are highly-scented but stay in bloom for 1 day only.

The Asian honey bee is frequently seen in this vicinity.  They are often seen buzzing around the coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) flowers. I managed to take a short video of a bee pollinating the pigeon orchid.

Photo 1. The honey bee flitted from flower to flower.
Photo 2. The orchids were growing on a Hibiscus sinensis branch. The many blooms emitted a fragrant scent that attracted the photographer to the flowers. 19 December 2021.
Photo 3. Close-up photo of a flower.
Photo 4. The following day, all the flowers from the previous day had closed to look like white pigeons. However, 3 late bloomers were seen in this photo. 20 December 2021.
Photo 5. A single flower that looked like a little white pigeon.
Photo 6. Another perspective of 2 flowers seen on the following day.

 

Read this post by YC Wee of his description of this intriguing orchid.

All photos ©  Teo Lee Wei

Article by Teo Lee Wei

References:

  1. A guide to the BEES OF SINGAPORE by Zestin W>W> & John S. Ascher © 2020
  2. 1001 Garden Plants in Singapore by Boo Chih Min, Kartini Omar-Hor & Ou-Yang Chow Lin © 2003
  3. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/nparksbuzz/issue-04-vol-1-2010/conservation/when-orchids-flower-gregariously

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

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