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UPSC CSE Prelims 2012 · GS paper

Consider the following kinds of organisms:

A question from UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2012, General Studies, explained with its sources.

Prelims 2012 · archive

Easy

Consider the following kinds of organisms:

  1. 1.Bat
  2. 2.Bee
  3. 3.Bird

Which of the above is/are pollinating agent/agents?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Many flowering plants depend on animals to carry pollen. Bats, bees and birds are all common pollinating agents, so all three are correct.

  • ✓ 1. Bats are pollinators, mainly of night-blooming flowers. They are among the common animal pollinating agents.
  • ✓ 2. Bees are common pollinating agents. Among animals, insects, particularly bees, are the dominant biotic pollinators.
  • ✓ 3. Birds such as sunbirds and hummingbirds pollinate flowers and are among the common pollinating agents.

Remember · Pollinating agents are either abiotic (wind, water) or biotic. Biotic agents include bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, ants, moths, birds such as sunbirds and hummingbirds, and bats. Bees are the dominant biotic pollinators.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Biology, Ch 1 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2012, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·

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