Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Life

Some flowers may have evolved long stems to be better ‘seen’ by bats

Echolocating bats can more easily find and pollinate long-stemmed flowers that stand out from the surrounding foliage, which may be why this floral trait evolved

By James Dinneen

17 September 2024

A tailed tailless bat drinking nectar from a flower

Nathan Muchhala

Some flowers may have evolved long stems to make it easier for echolocating bats to find them.

Like insects and hummingbirds, bats that feed on nectar are important pollinators for hundreds of , including mango and agave. Many of these plants have flowers that share distinctive characteristics to appeal to bats such as opening at night or giving off a musty odour. These flowers also tend to have long stems that hang down from branches or extend from trunks.

at the University of Missouri–St.…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶¹´«Ã½ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop