The image below is of the bee orchid, Ophrys apifera. I know I'm 'seeing' something – the 'face' – that isn't really there (an example of pareidolia), but still, that's one happy-looking flower!
Image courtesy of Hans Hillewaert, from wikimedia.
.jpg){kind=link}
Actually, the flower looks quite a bit like a bee sitting on on a blossom. This suggests that the plant is pollinated by at least one species of bee, with male bees attempting to copulate with something that looks to them like a potential mate. This is well-known in orchids, and indeed some species also produce pheromones mimicking those of a female wasp.
However, it turns out that over much of the range of O.apifera there is no longer any pollinator. Instead, in many regions the orchid self-pollinates, relying on the wind to blow the flowers dangling pollen sacs ('pollinia') against its sticky stigma, which seems a little hit-&-miss.
While one pollinator does still exist in one part of the orchid's range, this cartoon from xkcd is nonetheless rather poignant:
herr doktor bimler says:
I dunno about the self-fertilisation strategy postponing inevitable extinction for the orchid. It seems to work for quite a few orchid species.
Possibly relevant.
Alison Campbell says:
Yes, that’s xkcd’s take (probably got the letter order wrong there!) rather than mine. The way apifera does it does seem a bit hit & miss, though. Watching videos of bees busy on other orchids, there seems to be quite a bit of force involved in getting the pollina detached. Would a calm spring/summer see no orchid sex that year?