Supporting pollinators is top of mind these days, but when so many plants - including exotics - seem to be buzzing with plenty of life, why should native plants be chosen instead? It comes down to coevolution.
"Coevolution": the process of reciprocal evolutionary change that occurs between pairs of species or among groups of species as they interact with one another. Source: Britannica
As with our relationships, coevolution can lead to mutual benefit among different species. It can also lead to competitive relationships, or relationships that are downright unfair to one party or another.
In the case of the Death camas/Death camas mining bee relationship, it's an "I simply can't live without you" situation. In this article,Jeff Mitton explains the fascinating exclusivity of these two species. As its name suggests, Death camas is deadly. It's deadly for us, and it's deadly for all potential pollinating insects but one. Even parasites that attempt to exploit the miner bee expire from ingested neurotoxin. While this relationship is unusually codependent (even therapy won't help!), it's a great example of how plants have evolved along with insects and other organisms and can be dependent on each other for survival. While many pollinators will happily visit popular exotics like Russian sage and lavender, others simply will not. The more natives, the more pollinators served. Salvia dorii, anyone?
