Photo: Cycad Plants "Woo" Insects With Heat, Odor



A thrip walks across an Australian cycad plant's pollen-filled male cone.

Scientists have now found that the primitive plants use sophisticated chemical tricks to "trick" insects into carrying pollen to female cones, ensuring reproduction.

Photograph courtesy Laurence Mound/Science


NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS

ADVERTISEMENT

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S PHOTO OF THE DAY

50 Drives of a Lifetime

National Geographic Traveler has scoured the globe for the world's most beautiful, interesting, and off-beat road trips. Dive in to get drive directions, quizzes, photos, and more.