Chilean Cockroach Helps Pollinate Plants
Native Chilean cockroaches feed on pollen and may inadvertently pollinate plants while relying on hardy native flora for food and shelter.
[FamTimes reporter Jennylyn Gianan] A surprising discovery has revealed that cockroaches play a very important role in Chile's ecosystem.
According to a new study published in a scientific journal, this species, commonly known as the Chilean cockroach (Moluchia brevipennis), is native to the forests of central Chile and feeds on pollen.
In the process, it inadvertently helps pollinate plants.
Until now, only two cockroach species that perform pollination had been documented.
They are extremely rare species found in places including French Guiana and Malaysian Borneo.
Dr. Christian Villagra, an entomologist and co-author of the Chilean study, said, “Chilean cockroaches are active around sunset, feed on the pollen of many native plants, and lay their eggs inside bromeliads known as ‘Puya.’”
Villagra's research team theorized, “Chilean cockroaches evolved to depend on plants for shelter and food because native plants can withstand the dry, harsh climate.”
Their instinct to survive in the wild is compared with that of cockroaches living indoors.
Further research is underway to confirm the Chilean cockroach's role in plant pollination.
Jennylyn Gianan fam1@pcss.co.kr
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