Cocoa Helpers

Thanks to The Chocolate Life, I now know the importance of midges or sand flies, as we call them here, in relation to the fertilization of the cocoa flower. Lying under a cocoa tree today, I observed lots of other visitors. Does anyone know if lizards, millipedes, ants, birds or any other insect/ creature play an essential part in the development of the cocoa?

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Permalink Reply by Sebastian on May 25, 2010 at 7:26pm

Well, they're an integral part of the ecosystem at large, so in that sense, certainly. Most of what you mention, however, doesn't directly fertilize the pads, if that's what you're asking...

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Permalink Reply by heather andall on May 25, 2010 at 8:06pm

Thank you Sebastian,.... it wasn't the fertilization so much as i was wondering if , what and how these frequent visitors were up to......I had probably spent too long in the hot sun, .....but will still observe and see what I think they are doing.....the perfect excuse to lie on my back in the shade and take a five . The cocoa trees seem to attract more lizards than the nutmeg or other trees and the lesser Antillean bullfinches spend a lot of time pecking the branches .