Midges

Midges are the pollinators of cacao trees. They are the perfect size to fit inside the tiny white flowers. They are tiny (as you can see) fruit fly sized insects that grow in the debris around the tree such as rotting leaves/pods/organic matter.

This is a picture of specimens from Costa Rica.

Did you know researchers figured out these are what pollinate cacao after sitting at the trees and watching what actually pollinates them! Patient researchers indeed.