ABOUT NECTAR
NECTAR IS A PLANT SECRETION THAT IS RICH IN SUGAR. THE NECTAR ATTRACTS INSECTS, ESPECIALLY BEES, TO THE FLOWER. NECTAR IS ALSO ATTRACTIVE TO A WIDE RANGE OF WASPS, FLIES, BEETLES, BUTTERFLYS, OTHER INSECTS BIRDS AND MAMMALS. WHEN INSECTS AND OTHER ANIMALS ARE ATTRACTED TO A FLOWER THEIR BODIES BECOME COVERED WITH POLLEN THAT CAN BE CARRIED TO THE NEXT FLOWER THEY VISIT. HERE SOME IS LEFT ON THE FLOWERS FEMALE PARTS SO THAT POLLINATION MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED. NECTAR IS ATTRACTIVE TO INSECT, AND OTHER ANIMALS, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS A LARGE QUANITITY OF SUGAR AND USUALLY A SRONG ODOR. ODOR, IN ADDITION TO BEING ATTRACTIVE ALSO HELPS THE INSECT FIND THE NECTAR. THE COMBINATION OF SUGAR AND ODOR IS USUALLY DIFFERENT FROM ONE PLANT SPECIES TO ANOTHER JUST AS THE FLOWERS SHAPE, DESIGN AND COLOR ARE DIFFERENT. ALL THESE DIFFERENCES HELP TO GUIDE THE BEE FROM ONE FLOWER TO ANOTHER OF THE SAME KIND. IN MOST NECTARS THE DOMINANT SUGAR IS SUCROSE IS A COMMON PLANT SUGAR AND IS BEST KNOWN AS THE WHITE TABLESUGAR THAT WE USE. ITS SOURCE IS SUGAR CANE OR SUGAR BEET. THE PRIMARY SUGAR IN MAPLE SYRUP, AND OF COURSE MOLASSES, IS ALSO SUCROSE. WHILE WATER AND SUGAR ARE THE PREDOMINATE COMPONENTS OF NECTAR IT ALSO CONTAINS A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ITS DISTINCTIVE COLOR AND ODOR. WHILE THESE ARE PRESENT TO THE EXTENT OF ONLY ONE TO THREE PRESENT TO THE EXTENT OF ONLY ONE TO THREE PERCENT THEY ARE THE PARTS OF THE NECTAR THAT MAKE THE HONEYS MADE FROM THEM SO DISTINCTIVE.
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