How an orchid harms its pollinator.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Botany

Background:

• Orchids utilize sexual deception, mimicking female insects to attract male pollinators for reproduction.
• The orchid Chiloglottis trapeziformis and its wasp pollinator Neozeleboria cryptoides provide a model system for studying plant-pollinator interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the sexually deceptive orchid Chiloglottis trapeziformis on its pollinator, Neozeleboria cryptoides.
• To determine how different sexes of the wasp are affected by the orchid's mimicry.

Main Methods:

• Field experiments were conducted to observe wasp behavior in the presence of orchids.
• Chemical cues from orchids and female wasps were analyzed for their role in mate attraction.

Main Results:

• Male wasps were unable to distinguish orchid cues from female wasp cues, leading to avoidance of orchid-rich areas.
• Female wasps in the presence of orchids experienced reduced male approaches and no copulation attempts.
• The size of the orchid patch negatively correlated with male wasp approaches to females.

Conclusions:

• The orchid's sexual deception negatively affects its wasp pollinator, with differential impacts on males and females.
• Male wasps develop avoidance strategies, impacting female mating success and suggesting an evolutionary arms race between the orchid and wasp.