I believe wasps do pollinate flowers they visit and go after some harmful insects. I don't know about houseflies.

Not sure about recent months changes, but maybe you're thinking of the butterfly garden forum or wildlife garden?

Yes, all those are pollinators.

“…are they simply getting some type of nourishment…”

All pollinators get some type of nourishment or they wouldn’t bee there. (-;

tj

Huh! Never thought of a fly as being a pollinator tj==>> just a pest! :-)

debra

Probably not a housefly - those tend not be attracted by plants but by decaying organic matter - carrion, feces, decaying food waste. But there are thousands of fly species and many of them are pollinators. And so are most butterflies and moths and many beetles.

Any animal (insect) sipping nectar or nibbling pollen has the potential to be a pollinator. Some plants have evolved physical and chemical in order to benefit from ants, blue bottle flies, or other non traditional pollinators.

The mechanical motions of the insects is what pollinates, regardless of what they are collecting or eating. Some insects are more thorough than others in their flower mechanics. Like a bee may be worth ten flies.

Thanks everyone!

Flies are definitely pollinators! For example, pawpaws are pollinated by flies. Their flowers supposedly smell like rotten meat. When I used to grow them, they were definitely attractive to all kinds of flies, but I couldn't smell anything offensive.