Seeing More Evidence Next, we travel to Ecuador. T ere, we fi nd a rare cactus. Scientists weren’t sure what pollinates it, but many cacti depend on bats. We wondered if this cactus had a way to call bats. We don’t see any curved leaves on


the cactus. Yet we do see a stiff , waxy flower. Sounds can easily bounce off waxy surfaces like this. A thick fuzz also grows behind


the flower. Fuzz absorbs sounds. So to a bat, echoes from the flower pop out. T e fuzzy area around the flower remains quiet. T e echoes could lead the bat to the flower. Sure enough, we see a bat visit the flower.


Flower Power In time, I know we’ll learn a lot more about how flowers call bats. We’ll look for ways that a bat’s sounds can bounce off these plants. T ere’s one thing that I know for


sure. Bats are amazing pollinators. T ey carry a lot of pollen in their fur. T ey fly farther than many bees or birds. T at’s important. Some of the plants that bats pollinate are scattered far apart. T e ability of these plants to call


bats helps them survive. It lets them reproduce and live. It also shows us how plants adapt to call their perfect pollinator.


WORDWISE


anther: the part of the flower that makes pollen


pistil: the part of the fl ower that receives pollen


pollen: a dust produced by plants that can help make seeds


pollinate: to carry pollen from one fl ower to another


pollinator: an animal that carries pollen from one fl ower to another


stamen: a long, thin stalk topped by an anther


JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015 15


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