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<p>Farmer’s friend <i>Bidens pilosa</i> is a ubiquitous weed that provides food sources for a variety of animals in the diverse ecosystems it thrives. This weed is visited by diverse insect pollinators of native and horticultural plants. Herein we briefly describe and illustrate the animals that benefit from the farmer’s friend, how they behave while feeding, and how these connections shape the roles this weed participate in. We observed <i>B. pilosa</i> and the animals that benefit from food sources it provides directly or indirectly in suburban Sydney, Australia. Nectar-feeding butterflies and nectar-feeding or pollen-gathering bees are frequent visitors and pollinators of the flowerets of <i>B. pilosa</i>. Whole flowerets and seeds of farmer’s friend are consumed by a cockatoo and a parakeet. Aphids feed on sap of this plant and are consumed by a passerine bird. Spiders prey on butterfly and bee pollinators. <i>Bidens pilosa</i> functions as a convenient food source for insects and other animals, shaping varied connections and playing diverse roles, as it provides resources for important insect pollinators of horticultural plants (bees and butterflies) and a few ones (hoverflies) that act as pollinators and pest consumers.</p>

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Farmer’s friend Bidens pilosa, a weed with diverse connections and roles

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月16日

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  • Ivan Sazima,
  • Marlies Sazima

摘要

Farmer’s friend Bidens pilosa is a ubiquitous weed that provides food sources for a variety of animals in the diverse ecosystems it thrives. This weed is visited by diverse insect pollinators of native and horticultural plants. Herein we briefly describe and illustrate the animals that benefit from the farmer’s friend, how they behave while feeding, and how these connections shape the roles this weed participate in. We observed B. pilosa and the animals that benefit from food sources it provides directly or indirectly in suburban Sydney, Australia. Nectar-feeding butterflies and nectar-feeding or pollen-gathering bees are frequent visitors and pollinators of the flowerets of B. pilosa. Whole flowerets and seeds of farmer’s friend are consumed by a cockatoo and a parakeet. Aphids feed on sap of this plant and are consumed by a passerine bird. Spiders prey on butterfly and bee pollinators. Bidens pilosa functions as a convenient food source for insects and other animals, shaping varied connections and playing diverse roles, as it provides resources for important insect pollinators of horticultural plants (bees and butterflies) and a few ones (hoverflies) that act as pollinators and pest consumers.