passionfruit vines & bee eaters | watercolour

The passion fruit vine relies on bees to reproduce. Its intricate flowers open wide with rich nectar, drawing bees in to gather pollen and, in the process, transfer it between flowers. Once pollinated, the flower closes and begins forming the fruit. Bees are part of a larger balance, and this is where the European Bee-eater fits in. These birds migrate to Africa and feed on flying insects, including bees, but they rarely disrupt pollination. They mostly catch bees far from the hive, helping keep insect populations in check without affecting the vine’s ability to fruit. Together, the vine, the bees, and the bee-eater form a small but elegant cycle — plants feeding insects, insects enabling fruit, and birds feeding on the abundance nature provides.