Spiderhunter pollinating the Sexy Pink

Clumps of Heliconia chartacea 'Sexy Pink' planted at Heliconia Valley

 The many clumps of Heliconia chartacea 'Sexy Pink' are doing well at the Heliconia Valley area at Zone D.  Often times the Little Spiderhunter would visit the inflorescences to hunt for nectar and small insects especially tiny ants that are attracted by the sweet nectar.  When the Spiderhunter pushes its beak into the flower to look for nectar it is also doing another very important function i.e. pollinating.  The pendulous inflorescence have very colourful pink bracts which are basically false flowers.

Little Spiderhunter thrushes its beak into the flower to look for nectar.