This month we are talking about some insect pollinators other than bees, butterflies, and moths. Bees evolved from ancient predatory wasps.
But bees evolved to be vegetarians, consuming only pollen and nectar, while wasps remained omnivores, feeding their larvae caterpillar and other insects and spiders. Some adult wasps continue as omnivores, while others eat mainly nectar. Wasps do not eat pollen, and so are inadvertent pollen collectors, transferring it from plant to plant while they search for nectar.
But they are increasingly recognized as valuable pollinators and play a critical role in pollinating certain species such as orchids. Over 100 species of orchids depend exclusively on specific wasp species for their pollination.