Dear Iain: Hummingbirds are not that particular about what they feed on, as long as there is nectar present. In my region, hummingbirds are abundant, as are various lilies: L. kellogii, L. maritimum, L. occidentale, L. rubescens; L. pardalinum, L. bolanderi, L. columbianum, L. vollmeri and L. washingtonianum (not many of these). I have seen hummingbird activity on L. kelloggii and L. columbianum, but I'd be amazed if they didn't feed on all of them. Diana Telos Rare Bulbs ----- Original Message ----- From: "Iain Brodie of Falsyde" <auchgourishbotgard@falsyde.sol.co.uk> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 2:04 PM Subject: [pbs] LILY POLLINATION > Could anyone tell me if they are aware of any non insect pollinators > amongst Liliaceous genera and species? For example do any of the New World > Humming birds have any observations of their feeding behavour been > recorded as visiting e.g. Lilium species? > > Sorry to be the thinker of off the wall questions, however the means by > which, and by whom, Lilies are pollenated is something I am investigating > for my book on Lilies and their Allies, especially in relation to > different flower types. Obviously the prime pollinators of Lilies must be > insects in the main. In the Old World there are no Hummingbirds, nor any > other avian analogues but while readily admitting I haven't a clue about > the feeding activities of hummingbirds it occured to me that perhaps there > might possibly be one or more specialist Hummingbird species which did in > part feed from Lilies. Any input would be enormously appreciated please. > > Iain > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/