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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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Megan is explaining the evolutionary [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/1/l_011_02.html phenomenon] of mimicry of female insects which fools male insects into trying to mate with the flower ({{w|pseudocopulation}}). This causes the pollen of the flower to stick to the male bee, who may make the same mistake with another flower, allowing for pollination.
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Megan is explaining the evolutionary [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/1/l_011_02.html phenomenon] of mimicry of female insects which fools male insects into trying to mate with the flower ({{w|pseudocopulation}}). This causes the pollen of the flower to stick to the male bee, who may make the same mistake with another flower, allowing for pollination.  
  
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This particular orchid mimicked the solitary bee ''{{w|Eucera}}'', which now only pollinates it in the Mediterranean (the bee isn't really extinct, yet). This may eventually lead to the extinction of the orchid due to lack of reproduction. In most areas where it grows, the orchid is using a method of {{w|self-pollination}}, which can be detrimental to the genetic vitality of the species as it is a form of in-breeding.
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This particular orchid mimicked the solitary bee ''{{w|Eucera}}'', which now only pollinates it in the Mediterranean (the bee isn't really extinct yet). This may eventually lead to the extinction of the orchid due to lack of reproduction. In most areas where it grows, the orchid is using a method of {{w|self-pollination}}, which can be detrimental to the genetic vitality of the species as it is a form of in-breeding.
  
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Photographs of ''{{w|Ophrys apifera}}'':
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Photographs of ''Ophrys apifera'':
  
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[[File:Ophrys apifera flower1.jpg|x250px]] [[File:Bee orchids, Aller Brook Local Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 833516.jpg|x250px]]
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[[File:Ophrys apifera flower1.jpg | x250px]] [[File:Bee orchids, Aller Brook Local Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 833516.jpg | x250px]]
  
 
Female ''Eucera (Synhaolonia)'' guarding nests (left) and male ''Eucera'' (right):
 
Female ''Eucera (Synhaolonia)'' guarding nests (left) and male ''Eucera'' (right):
  
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[[File:Synhalonia nest 1.jpg|x200px]] [[File:Apidae - Eucera sp. (male).JPG|x200px]]
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[[File:Synhalonia_nest_1.jpg | x200px]] [[File:Apidae - Eucera sp. (male).JPG | x200px]]
  
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In a similar way, some plants depend on animal species now extinct, but as the dependency was not about pollination but about spreading seeds across the land, those plant species can still last millions of years after the animal species extinction. For instance, [http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/12/04/avocado-ghosts-of-evolution/ it’s the case of the avocado].
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The title text makes the assumption that, in sixty million years, much like the ''Eucera'' has today, humans will become nearly or completely extinct, and the only remaining records for other forms of life to identify them by would be commercials for the {{w|Axe (brand)|Axe}} line of male grooming products.
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The comic plays on the subject of levels of indirectness of memory or knowledge representation. The female bee is extinct, remembered only by the male bee's perception of her; the male bee is also extinct, but its memory of the female is preserved in the orchid's shape; the orchid, due to self-pollination, is nearing extinction, but the memory of the female bee is now preserved by Beret Guy's memory of the orchid, remembering the male bee's memory of her.
 
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The title text culminates this theme by invoking the idea that some day human beings will, likewise, be extinct, and aliens will be able to learn about us through the distorted and faded representations of ourselves that we leave behind - {{w|Axe (brand)|Axe}} commercials, which, like the orchid, present an idealized form to deceptively attract mates. We are left to speculate whether these aliens will be able to construct, somehow, through three levels of indirectness (the human representation, the orchid's representation and the male bee's perception) any memory of the female Eucera, and, if so, how distorted a view of the bee it will be.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:[Beret Guy and Megan are walking through a wood.]
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:[Megan and Beret Guy are walking through woods.]
 
:Megan: There are these orchids whose flowers look like female bees. When males try to mate with them, they transfer pollen.
 
:Megan: There are these orchids whose flowers look like female bees. When males try to mate with them, they transfer pollen.
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:Megan, crouching near a flower: This orchid -- ''Ophrys apifera'' -- makes flowers, but no bees land on them because the bee it mimics went extinct long ago.
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:[Megan kneels next to a flower.]
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:Megan: Without its partner, the orchid as resorted to self-pollinating, a last-ditch genetic strategy that only delays the inevitable. Nothing of the bee remains, but we know it existed from the shape of the flower.
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:Megan: This orchid - ''Ophrys Apifera'' - makes flowers, but no bees land on them because the bee it mimics went extinct long ago.
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:[They continue walking.]
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:Megan: Its an idea of what the female bee looked like to the male bee...
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:[Megan stands.]
 
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:Megan: Without its partner, the orchid has resorted to self-pollinating, a last-ditch genetic strategy that only delays the inevitable. Nothing of the bee remains, but we know it existed from the shape of this flower.
 
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:[They walk on past the flower.]
 
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:Megan: It's an idea of what the female bee looked like to the male bee...
 
 
:Megan: ...as interpreted by a plant.
 
:Megan: ...as interpreted by a plant.
 
:Beret Guy: Wow, so...
 
:Beret Guy: Wow, so...
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:[painting of an orchid]
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:[We see a full-color painting of an orchid flower. It has purple-pink petals on a mottled grey background, along with the bee-like parts. It's quite a realistic painting.]
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:Beret Guy: ... The only memory of the bee is a painting.
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:...the only memory of the bee is a painting by a dying flower.
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:Beret Guy [text in corner of painting, like an artist's signature]: By a dying flower.
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:[Beret Guy runs back to the flower and sits down]: I'll remember your bee, orchid. I'll remember you.
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:[The flower is alone in a panel.]
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:[Beret Guy runs in the direction of Megan, out of frame.]
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:[Beret Guy walks back on screen.]
 
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:[Beret Guy kneels down next to it.]
 
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:Beret Guy: I'll remember your bee, orchid. I'll remember you.
 
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:[Beret Guy walks off-panel again.]
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Biology]]
 
[[Category:Biology]]
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[[Category:Bees]]
 
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[[Category:Aliens]]
 

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