Why do flowers smell so nice?
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Which flower smell would you like to sniff?
What about...?
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Transcript
That sweet smell from the flowers, where does it come from?
Flowers send tiny bits of scent floating out into the air. The breeze picks it up and carries it far and wide.
Bees and butterflies smell it and use it to find the flowers. The flowers want the bugs to come visit them.
When pollen sticks to a bug's body, it travels along to the next flower. The flower needed that pollen carried over so it could make seeds.
A flower's smell is like a signal calling the bugs over. That's why there are so many different scents!
For grown-ups: the science
Flowers make a nice smell so bees and butterflies can find them.
A flower's fragrance comes from special scented particles the flower releases into the air. This scent often works to attract pollinators, and when pollen sticks to a bug and travels to another flower, it can lead to pollination. Not every flower relies on strong smells to call bugs though — some use bright colors, shapes, sweet nectar, or even the wind instead.