07-05-2025
VOX POPULI: Disappearing pollinators add sobering edge to spring flowers
Azaleas are in full bloom at a park in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, on May 3. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
It's the season when azaleas burst into bloom.
In Japanese, the word for azalea is 'tsutsuji,' written with two Chinese characters, pronounced 'teki' and 'choku.' According to a Chinese-Japanese character dictionary, both characters carry the meaning 'to stop' or 'to pause.'
It seems that these characters were chosen to evoke the feeling of being stopped in your tracks by something breathtakingly beautiful.
Let's pause for a moment, just as the characters suggest, and take a closer look at these radiant blossoms in their full glory.
On closer inspection, one notices that only the upper petals of the azalea bear dark-colored spots. These markings are known as nectar guides.
In his book 'Hana to Konchu, Fushigina Damashiai Hakkenki' ("Flowers and insects: discovering the mysteries of deception"), Japanese plant expert Hajime Tanaka explains that these spots act as signposts for pollinators—bees, butterflies and other insects—conveying the message, 'Sweet nectar awaits deep within.'
Drawn to these visual cues amid a sea of blossoms, butterflies flutter their wings delicately as they sip the nectar. In the process, pollen clings to their bodies from the flower's stamens, which they then carry to the next bloom.
Who first conceived of such an exquisitely clever system—and when?
The Asiatic dayflower, too, is a master of deception in its dealings with insects. It has bright yellow stamens that contrast with the flower's vibrant blue petals, making them visually striking and enticing pollinators with the illusion of rich, accessible pollen.
But these showy stamens are, in fact, sterile, serving purely as visual bait. The real work is done by the fertile stamens—curved, modest in appearance and tucked just beneath the more conspicuous ones.
As the unsuspecting insect reaches in, these subtle structures quietly deposit pollen onto its abdomen, completing the plant's clever sleight of hand.
But will we continue to witness these delicate and fascinating dramas between flowers and insects far into the future? We may be nearing a tipping point in nature's fragile balance.
Across the globe, insect populations are quietly vanishing. Just last month, a team of researchers in Britain reported a 60-percent decline in the number of flying insects between 2021 and last year. With the help of citizens, they tallied the number of insects stuck on car license plates.
Climate change, pesticide use and many other factors contribute to this disturbing trend. Can we really afford to let it continue unchecked? Perhaps now is the time to do what the characters for 'azalea' suggest: to pause. We clearly need to stop and confront this sobering reality.
—The Asahi Shimbun, May 7
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
