25. Pollinator

Aah! Don't sting me! 

Definition: A pollinator is a biotic vector that transports pollen from the anther of a flower to the stigma and combines the male and female gametes. Pollinators complete the process of fertilization in the flowers.

What the specimen is: This specimen is a common garden variety bee. They are more formally called western honey bees or european honey bees. The scientific name for bees is Apis mellifera. 

Where we found it: This bee was found in Sarah's front yard, pollinating one of her flowers.

How it relates to pollinator: Most flowering plants require pollination from bees. These insects make excellent pollinators since most of their lives are spent collecting the pollen for the production of honey. Cross pollination is a valuable thing for not only decorative flowers, but critical in the production of edible crops.