A bee buzzing around the flowers of a snapdragon plant caught the attention of researchers led by zoology professor Francesca Barbero from the University of Turin. The study, which also involved a team of researchers from Spain and Australia, revealed an interesting finding – plants increase their nectar output when bees approach, suggesting a more active role in their relationship with bees than previously thought. This behavior may be a survival tactic to favor bees over “nectar robbers” who do not provide any reproductive benefits.
The research, presented at the 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics, looked into the acoustic signals produced by pollinators when they visit flowers. These signals, including wing flapping, hovering, landing, and taking off, had been overlooked in the past due to their small size compared to other insect noises. Barbero and her team studied these signals to develop methods for monitoring pollinator communities and their impact on ecology and plant biology.
By playing recordings of buzzing sounds made by a Rhodanthidium sticticum bee near snapdragons, the researchers observed that the flowers responded by increasing their nectar and sugar production. This response may serve as a coevolutionary survival strategy, potentially influencing the behavior of pollinators and increasing the plants’ reproductive success. The team is now investigating whether these responses attract all visitors to the flowers or just specific pollinators, like the Rhodanthidium sticticum bee.
Barbero mentioned that if the response from insects can be confirmed, sounds could be used alongside plants and crops to attract specific pollinators. Ongoing analyses are being conducted to compare how snapdragons respond to nectar robbers and other pollinators. The intricate ways in which plants perceive their surroundings, including beneficial and harmful insects, neighboring plants, and environmental cues, continue to fascinate researchers in the field.
