The secret world of pollinating insects is being revealed by scientists using new DNA technology that can pinpoint which species are interacting with flowers.

Curtin University research has revealed analysing the “environmental DNA” of avocado flowers can more effectively identify which insect species interacted with plants compared to traditional methods, such as camera recordings and bug traps.

Environmental DNA can be anything from feaces, mucous, skin or hair that is released from an organism.

Lead researcher LJoshua Kestel said more than 40 per cent of all insect species could be at risk of extinction in the near future due to climate change, loss of habitat, pesticide use and emerging pests and pathogens. Picture credit: Pixabay

Curtin University lead researcher Joshua Kestel found that this new method of identifying insects can be used as a tool by farmers to identify what flower visitors are interacting with their crops and detect if any invasive species are present.

“We found that eDNA monitoring of flowers, used in conjunction with conventional methods, has the potential to revolutionise the way insect communities are monitored in the environment,” Mr Kestel said.

“Finding the most effective way to monitor and preserve insect species which are essential to food production systems is so important and using conventional survey methods alone can be time-intensive and costly.”

Mr Kestel explained that by using eDNA combined with the traditional methods, the team was able to identify 49 different insect families, including hoverflies and honeybees, that regularly visited avocado tree flowers in WA.

“Insects like hoverflies and honeybees are important pollinators for flowers and support healthy plant production, but there are some pests, such as mites, which need to be detected before they become established in these habitats,” Mr Kestel said.

The quantity and diversity of insect pollinators are key drivers of production as they influence both food yields and quality and under-pollination results in smaller and misshapen fruit or seed that are not viable to grow.

Curtin University associate professor Paul Nevill believes developing a cross-sector DNA-based survey and monitoring tool would be critical for both agriculture and nature management.

“We need to be better prepared to address the challenges associated with insect-flower pollination
in a time of rapid climate change,” Mr Nevill said.

“Currently, services that ensure plants and flowers are adequately pollinated are valued at more than $28 billion to Australia’s economy, so our research could potentially help solve these challenges.”