Nectar

Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants. It is produced in glands called nectaries, either within the flowers in which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists, which in turn provide anti-herbivore protection. Common nectar-consuming pollinators include bees, butterflies and moths, hummingbirds and bats.

Nectar is an ecologically important item, the sugar source for honey. It is also useful in Template:Wiki and horticulture because the adult stages of some predatory Template:Wiki feed on nectar such as almost all Template:Wiki wasps. In turn, these wasps then hunt agricultural pest Template:Wiki as food for their young. For example, thread-waisted wasps (genus Ammophila) are known for hunting caterpillars that are Template:Wiki to crops.[citation needed]

Nectar secretion increases as the flower is visited by pollinators. After pollination, the nectar is frequently reabsorbed into the plant. Template:W