<p>I have been noticing for quite a while that I have this instinct to tear off and throw seeds from trees and plants.</p>

<p>This happens quite literally without any thought and I rarely even notice the act.</p>

<p>Is it possible that humans evolved with an instinct to spread wildlife similar to pollinating or is it just a weird habit?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T12:58:07.577Z
I've never heard of anything like this. Did you grow up on a farm or were your parents involved in plants in any way?
Robert Columbia
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T12:59:42.330Z
Yeah, I spent a big part of my childhood around wildlife.
Ognian Mirev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T23:57:19.780Z
When I was young I used to have the 'urge' to strip the seeds from grass and scatter them but I am not sure it was down to an inborn instinct.  It was just a fascination I had as a young child. Oh and I wasn't raised on a farm or anything like that
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-14T05:45:12.273Z
I imagine long ago you couldn't get seeds from a supplier so you had to to get them directly from the plants. And their children saw them and did the same thing. And their children. And their children, etc. Even now if their is no real reason to do so. But probably long forgotten in urban environments.
user3169
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-14T20:08:41.820Z
I personally don't have such an urge, so I guess the answer is "no".
TheBlackCat
<evolution><evolutionary-psychology>
Do humans have inborn instincts to spread plant seeds?
Ognian Mirev
# Do humans have inborn instincts to spread plant seeds?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-13)

I have been noticing for quite a while that I have this instinct to tear off and throw seeds from trees and plants.

This happens quite literally without any thought and I rarely even notice the act.

Is it possible that humans evolved with an instinct to spread wildlife similar to pollinating or is it just a weird habit?

**Tags:** evolution, evolutionary-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've never heard of anything like this. Did you grow up on a farm or were your parents involved in plants in any way?  
> **username_0**: Yeah, I spent a big part of my childhood around wildlife.  
> **username_2**: When I was young I used to have the 'urge' to strip the seeds from grass and scatter them but I am not sure it was down to an inborn instinct.  It was just a fascination I had as a young child. Oh and I wasn't raised on a farm or anything like that  
> **username_3**: I imagine long ago you couldn't get seeds from a supplier so you had to to get them directly from the plants. And their children saw them and did the same thing. And their children. And their children, etc. Even now if their is no real reason to do so. But probably long forgotten in urban environments.  
> **username_4**: I personally don't have such an urge, so I guess the answer is "no".  

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