Pollination is not just the realm of bees. There’s a whole host of birds and insects, from flies and beetles to moths and even mosquitoes, which move between and feed on flowers while helping plants proliferate.
In this episode of the It Starts With… podcast, David Bolderman is joined by biologist and naturalist Peter Bernhardt to discuss the thousands of species of insects and other creatures which pollinate. They are, as he calls them, the “unsung heroes” of pollination.
This even includes mosquitoes. Not only do these blood-sucking insects feed on our vital fluids, but one species gets its energy from sugars in a specific orchid’s nectar.
Many plants have a special relationship with particular pollinators. David and Peter discuss how understanding those relationships is key to protecting biodiversity and native species. This could even be as simple as choosing which plants to plant in your garden. It all has an impact on the pollinators and their symbiotic relationship with flowering plants.
Peter is author of the book Unsung Heroes of Pollination, published by CSIRO Publishing. It is available in print or eBook.
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