Our mystery seeds this week are “the pits.”
Inside the pits are the seeds, which resemble almonds.
These are not almonds, however.
Do you know where these seeds are found? Be sure to leave us a comment if you have an idea.
Edit:Â The answer is now posted.
It’s National Pollinator Week (June 17 through June 23, 2012) and we’re celebrating insect pollinators! 
Did you know that many plants will not produce fruit unless they are properly pollinated? Roughly one third of the food in the grocery store, from apples to vanilla, would no longer be available if there were no pollinators to carry pollen from flower to flower. Fortunately, there are bats, birds, butterflies, bees (and more) to get the job done.
The National Pollinator Week website has plenty of resources to help you participate and to learn more, including:
and Information for Educators.
If you follow the educators link, you will see the Bee Smart School Garden Kit ( I believe this is available a $150 donation). Scroll down to Additional Useful Resources to find a free 127 page curriculum Nature’s Partner’s to download (.pdf) and other helpful resources.
When we think of pollinators, of course the honey bee springs to mind. If you click on the bees category here at Growing with Science, you will find photographs and information about a variety of different bees that also are important pollinators.
Related science activities:
3. Honey bee science activities
Butterflies travel from flower to flower feeding on nectar, and also distribute pollen.
Although they don’t get as much press, flies are pollinators,
like this flower fly,
and beetles are pollinators, as well.
Yes, insects do make our world a better place.
Which pollinators are your favorites?
Our mystery seeds from last week come from an Arizona plant that isn’t very noticeable most days of the year.
It looks kind of like a brownish-green twig hidden in a bush or tree.
If you observe closely, you may see the spines that indicate it is a cactus. In fact, it is a cactus called Arizona Queen of the Night, Peniocereus greggii.
Once in a great while it will produce a flower or two. Then it will be obvious why people find it so interesting.
The brilliant white flowers stay open for only one night.
This one is already starting to close as the sunlight begins to find it, although it was still producing a heavy perfume. Many of the night blooming flowers here are white and produce a strong, sweet odor that attracts moths to pollinate them.
Hopefully this flower was pollinated and produces some more mystery seeds.
More about Arizona Queen of the Night
Have you ever seen a night-blooming cactus flower?
(Thanks to our friend Deb S. for sharing.)
Mystery Seed of the Week will return next week.
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.
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