Spices are tasty, of high economic value, and are often healthy components of our diet. Pollinators contribute by pollinating the flowers that develop into the seeds and fruits that we harvest and use as spices. Examples of spices that are pollinated by insects in East Africa include chillies, bell peppers, cardamom (all pollinated by bees), and coriander—also called cilantro (pollinated by bees, wasps, and flies).
Wasp visiting coriander flowers by D. J. Martins
Lycaenid butterfly and cuckoo wasp on coriander flowers by D. J. Martins