A common question is “What is the best plant for pollinators?” Research from Brazil suggests this might be exactly the wrong question to ask. Instead of a one-shot solution, you should see serving pollinators as a relay. Different plants are needed for different times, for the same insects.
The findings are the result of observations over the course of a year in the city of Maringá, Brazil. Perugini and colleagues tracked 127 flowering plants and 144 pollinator species through the seasons leading to 7,829 recorded interactions to see how plants and pollinators connected. They weren’t just interested in species, but also the traits of flowers. So they measured flower depth, tracked flowering timing, and mapped which pollinators visited which plants. With this data they then drew interaction networks to look for patterns.
The major finding was that plant-pollinator networks were highly modular, like separate communities within the garden. Plants with similar flower shapes attracted similar pollinators. Because certain pollinators stayed with certain plants, there were ten communities using the same garden.
The key to success was timing. Plants in the same pollinator group flowered at different times of the year. This means the pollinators in the same module could have a supply of food around the year. The authors write that this continuity may be what shapes pollinator assemblages.
One of the surprises (to me) is how modular the network was. Perugini et al describe over 80% of the plants as “peripheral”, with interactions within just one module. Only Odontonema tubaeforme was identified as a network hub. This plant is not a native to Maringá.
Something Maringá has that other places might not is pollinators active around the year. The pollinators therefore need food throughout the year. This is something that could be done if gardeners plant with a view to timing of flowers, and variety of shapes within the selection of flowers. Perugini and colleagues conclude: “Subtropical and tropical gardens already support significant populations of pollinators, but with more thoughtful consideration of what is planted, they could provide even greater resources for these ecologically important animals.”
de Sousa Perugini, L.G., Jorge, L.R., Ollerton, J., Milaneze-Gutierre, M.A. and Rech, A.R. (2025) “High modularity of plant-pollinator interactions in an urban garden is driven by phenological continuity and flower morphology,” Urban Ecosystems, 28(3). https://doi.org/pqsb Read free via https://rdcu.be/epLTL
Cross-posted to Bluesky & Mastodon.
Image: Odontonema tubaeforme. Turnstange / Wikimedia Commons
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