Summary:
Orchids are often described as exotic ornamentals, but even more they are exotic due to their extraordinary and diverse flower morphology. Orchids depend on the assistance of pollinators, and like other plants attracts insects. Scientists have recently discovered that the Epipactis veratrifolia has specialized in hoverflies. Because its insects prefer aphids as food for their larvae, the orchid produces 3 aphid alarm substances, all of which attract hoverfly females. When there are females, soon enough the males also start coming around. Have the plants always had this ability, and how does their mechanism affect the food chain in general?
Opinion:
The ability that the orchids have is basically an extreame form of adaptation. Knowing what the insects perfer and deciding to produce this aphid is a form of mutualism. To the food chain, this means an increase in the hoverflies, but with this type of orchid only living in certain midddle eastern areas, scientists do not think this will have dramatic effects on the ecosystem. The Epipactis veratrifolia has just recently began this adaptation that we know of, and it will be interesting to see if it starts to produce other food besides this kind of aphid. Aswell, it will be interesting to see if only this type of orchid can produce food the hoverflies perfer, or if other types of orchids can also produce different food.
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