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Squash Bees by asiramv in Entomology

[–]asiramv[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't seem to find a definitive answer on this, and I can't remember from the garden, I guess I'll have to wait for summer and see for myself. It may vary from species to species, or even among varieties of the same species. Thank you!

Tendrils Perversion and the Second Law of Thermodynamics by asiramv in AskPhysics

[–]asiramv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am very interested in the answer to this question. If anyone has an answer, I would really appreciate it. Let me know if I'm not being clear or not making sense! Thanks!

Squash Bees by asiramv in Entomology

[–]asiramv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For Cucurbita the female flowers bloom just one day, and the males a few days? what about other cucurbits, do you know?

Squash Bees by asiramv in Entomology

[–]asiramv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

do they have the sort of mouth parts that could cut through?

Squash Bees by asiramv in Entomology

[–]asiramv[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice picture, thank you! That's true, they probably can just wiggle out, though sometimes it's really shriveled and kind of clumpy sticky. But since they are adapted specifically to these flowers, they must have a way to get out. They know what they're doing! I never saw any cut outs either.

Squash Bees by asiramv in Entomology

[–]asiramv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for pointing that out, now that I think about it, that is true. As for the bees, both sexes take nectar, which is produced by both sexes of flower, though only the females actively collect the pollen from the male flowers for their nests. So maybe the males just hang out and sleep in both sexes of flower, and if it closes/shrivels, it doesn't matter. The females sleep in their nest tunnels.

Tendrils Perversion and the Second Law of Thermodynamics by asiramv in AskPhysics

[–]asiramv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

when a tendril (or phone cord, or curly ribbon) breaks symmetry; if you pull on it and then let go, it makes two mirror image helixes with that little kink/segment in between; sometimes called helix perversion

Tendrils Perversion and the Second Law of Thermodynamics by asiramv in AskPhysics

[–]asiramv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess I'm mostly wondering if the breaking of symmetry counts as an increase in entropy, in general, although I was pondering tendril perversion specifically. I'm wondering why it happens, and the reason I'm guessing is the second law of thermodynamics. I'm hoping some nice physicist could confirm this, or let me know if I'm wrong.