Handbook of Pollinators of European Orchidaceae

The ways in which pollinators are attracted by orchids are varied and sometimes as in the genus Ophrys spectacular. They can be grouped into 3 groups: 1) the offering of food (nectar) 2) the visual deception (species that simulate nectarifers) and 3) sexual deception.Within the third group sexual deception reaches its most perfect form in the genus Ophrys. The flowers mimic the virgin females of certain Hymenoptera.The drones of these Hymenoptera attempt to copulate with the flowers (pseudocopula) and they pollinate them during the process. The flower mimics the shape of the female insect (visual mimicry) and emits a mixture of compounds that simulate pheromones of females in heat (chemical mimicry).