Plant Turns Suspected Crop Pest Into Pollinator

October 13, 2022

The agricultural pests known as plant bugs can be a farmer’s worst enemy. These winged insects — the size of a pea or smaller — suck the sap from crops, causing millions of dollars in damages globally each year. A Costa Rican flower has turned this foe into friend, however, according to a new study. One species of the so-called arum plant has evolved to attract a species of plant bug instead of a typical beetle pollinator, helping them spread their pollen far and wide. The find is the first known example of a plant harnessing plant bugs to help them reproduce.

Read the original article in Science.

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