In this activity, students practice identifying which colour flowers each pollinator is most likely to pollinate.
Pollinators prefer flowers of a specific colour range. The colour that a pollinator is attracted to is dependent on their visible colour spectrum, the shape of their tongue, and their food sources. This preference of colour, shape, and smell of a flower is called a pollination syndrome.
Scientists have found that bees that visit yellow, violet or blue flowers are the most successful in finding nectar. Flies prefer brown or purple flowers, butterflies prefer pink flowers, moths prefer white flowers and birds are attracted to flowers that are red. These are general colour preferences because pollinators can still pollinate a range of colours as they visit flowers for a nectar meal.