Snapdragons are flowers that typically have color patterns on their petals. Interestingly, bumblebees, which feed on flowers’ nectar, have demonstrated a consistent preference for snapdragons. A 2013 study revealed that when bumblebees were presented with snapdragons and plain-colored flowers for foraging, the snapdragons received disproportionately more visits than other flowers. This result is due to the contrasting colors of the snapdragon’s petals, which signal the location of nectar to bees. However, using the results of the study, a student attempts to make the case that the presence of contrasting colors does not fully explain the bumblebees’ preference for certain flowers over others.Choice B is the best answer. The student argues that the presence of contrasting colors does not fully explain the bumblebees' preference for certain flowers over others. The fact that bumblebees visit the evening blooming cereus for foraging more often than the bluebell, even though neither has contrasting colors, supports the student's argument.
Choice A: This supports the study's conclusion that bumblebees prefer snapdragons to vulcan's trumpets due to the snapdragons' contrasting colors.
Choice C: That bumblebees visit white lilies and vulcan's trumpets equally would be consistent with the study's conclusion.
Choice D: This finding is not relevant to either the study or the student's argument.
✨ Expert's Tip ✨
Recognize that even among the four plain-colored flowers, one received more visits from the bumblebees than the rest.
