Pollinator Sounds Inspire Plants to Boost Nectar Production, Study Finds

Visitors to flowers, including pollinators, generate distinct sounds through the movement of their wings during flight. These sounds play a significant role in fitness, providing crucial information to flowering plants and potentially influencing resource distribution while attracting pollinators. Recent research conducted by Professor Francesca Barbero from the University of Turin and her team examined the acoustic characteristics of the sounds made by various flight visitors, focusing on the Snapdragon (Anti-Ruhinam sp.) flowers in their natural habitat. Their findings indicate that behaviors such as hovering, landing, and takeoff yield unique acoustic signatures. Moreover, plants exhibit responses to vibroacoustic stimuli from these pollinators, hinting at possible adaptive reactions.

When pollinators visit flowers, they generate various distinct sounds, ranging from the flapping of wings while hovering to the sounds of landing and taking off.

Nonetheless, these sounds are relatively subtle compared to other vibrations and acoustics present in insect life, leading researchers to overlook the acoustic signals linked to wing and body movements in these insects.

Professor Barbero and her collaborators have investigated these signals, creating a non-invasive and effective approach to monitor impacts on pollinator communities as well as plant biology and ecology.

“The coevolution between plants and their pollinators has largely been explored through visual and olfactory cues, despite emerging evidence that both insects and plants are capable of sensing, producing, or transmitting vibroacoustic signals,” Professor Barbero stated.

The study’s authors played recordings of lively sounds produced by Spotted red resin honeybee (Rhodanthidium staticum) near growing snapdragons to monitor the flowers’ responses.

They discovered that the sounds of these efficient pollinators led snapdragons to enhance sugar and nectar production, even prompting changes in gene expression related to sugar transport and nectar formation.

These plant responses could serve as survival strategies and coevolutionary tactics, particularly as they can influence how long pollinators linger and their overall fidelity.

“The ability to recognize approaching pollinators through unique vibroacoustic signals may represent an adaptive strategy for plants,” Professor Barbero added.

“By responding to suitable vibroacoustic cues (like those from effective pollinators), plants can bolster reproductive success by encouraging favorable pollinator behavior.”

While it’s evident that lively sounds can elicit plant responses, it’s yet undetermined if plant acoustics can also influence insect behavior.

“If insect reactions to these responses are confirmed, we could harness sound to enhance economically significant plants and crops and increase their appeal to pollinators,” Professor Barbero mentioned.

The research team is continuously analyzing and comparing snapdragon reactions to various pollinators and nectar robbers.

“The myriad ways plants can discern biological factors, including beneficial and harmful insects, neighboring plants, and abiotic signals like temperature, drought, and wind, are genuinely remarkable,” Professor Barbero remarked.

The researchers shared their survey findings on May 21st at the joint 188th and 25th Acoustic Conference of the American Acoustic Association (ASAICA25).

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Francesca Barbero et al. 2025. Vibroacoustic signals produced by flower visitors and their role in plant interactions. asaica25 Presentation #3AAB1