The tricksters of the flower world include the orchids—especially, the Lady’s Slipper orchids. They look beautiful. They smell lovely. They seem to keep a stash of nectar and pollen to make a closer look worth a pollinating insect’s while. They also provide a handy landing pad just below the nectar-and-pollen lunch counter.

But when Mr. Mosquito stops by Lady’s Slipper to dine and wanders up to place his order—whoops, down into her pouch he goes, pollinating the flower on his way down. As he struggles out of the pouch, his hairy antennae pick up her waxy pollen.

Mr. Mosquito isn’t too bright, because he keeps falling for this trick, over and over and…. But then, if he were smarter, he wouldn’t be pollinating orchids and making the world more beautiful.

Three varieties of lady’s slipper orchid grow in Kananaskis Country. Yellow Lady’s Slippers can be found along Many Springs Trail in Bow Valley Park. Venus Lady’s Slippers and Sparrow’s-Egg Lady’s Slippers can be found there and in Bragg Creek Provincial Park.

Orchids are under siege in Kananaskis. Everyone want to take them home. Please don’t. They won’t survive if you transplant them, and a whole generation of orchids ends if you pick them.

Photo by Dendroica cerulean – http://www.flickr.com/photos/dendroica/5698506662/