[Pollinator] A publication on moth pollinators - Happy National Moth Week!

[Montana Atwater]

In the spirit of National Moth Week, take a moment to appreciate the moth
pollinators!

Atwater, M. Journal of Natural History (2013): Diversity and nectar hosts
of flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem, Journal of
Natural History, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.791944

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2013.791944

To link to this article without a subscription:
http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/AG3MSBuNBM6vSgnh2DRX/full

The purpose of this study was to document and identify flower-settling
moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem and investigate their potential
pollination capabilities. A combination of methods incorporating
observation, morphology, pollen analysis and behaviour were applied.
Fifty-two species of moths were documented taking nectar on flowers. A
novel nectar-feeding behaviour categorized as fluttering resulted in
increased pollen collection. Significant morphological match of moth
proboscis length with flower corolla length was found. A preliminary list
of sandhill moths is presented, and a pollen library of flowers found
throughout the study area was created. This study was the first to conduct
observations of settling moths in upland pine communities, and offers a
rare glimpse into the interactions of moths with flowers within a unique
ecosystem.

 Enjoy!

Montana M. Atwater
montana.atwater at gmail.com
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