What is Nectar?

What the Greek gods drank

© Robert Dailey

Feb 12, 2007
And what attracts many animals to plants

Nectar is a liquid, rich in sugar, that a flowering plant makes. The reason for this liquid is to attract insects, birds and other animals to the plant. In the process of drinking the nectar, the animal brushes against pollen and deposits it either on the stigma of the same flower, or on a different flower of the same species, allowing the plant to be fertilized. Nectar is an important source for honey. Also, adult stages of many predatory insects feed on nectar. Hummingbirds also feed on nectar.


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