Plants aren't just sitting there looking pretty — they're eavesdropping on insects and strategically sweetening their nectar for the right visitors.
New research by Francesca Barbero from the University of Turin reveals plants can distinguish between the buzzing of helpful pollinators and nectar-stealing "robbers," adjusting their sugar production accordingly. When they hear good pollinators approaching, they pump up the sweetness. When thieves come calling, they dial it back.
"When we played the sounds of the best pollinator, the plant reacted by secreting a nectar with a high sugar concentration," Barbero explained to Bob McDonald on his Quirks and Quarks podcast for CBC. "And the most amazing thing is that when we play back the sounds of a robber insect [that takes nectar but doesn't reciprocate by pollinating], the plant is sort of keeping their resources and producing the nectar with the lowest concentration of sugar."
The response happens in just 10 minutes — lightning-fast in plant time. Barbero's team found that hearing pollinators actually triggers genes involved in sugar transport.
While plants don't have ears, they do possess specialized mechanoreceptors that detect air vibrations. Each insect species produces a unique acoustic signature that plants have evolved to recognize.
So next time you're in a garden, say nice things — the plants have a secret life, and they're savvier than we thought.
Previously:
• Watch this gentleman break the world duration record for wearing a bee beard
• The Beekeeper's Lament: Must-read book on bee life, and death
