Moths Have 'Secret Role' As Crucial Pollinators, Research Finds (bbc.com) 17
New research suggests moths play a vital role as overnight pollinators of a wide range of flowers and plants. The BBC reports: The study says that the moths' transport networks are larger and more complex than those of daytime pollinators like bees. The authors believe there is an urgent need to stem declines in moth numbers. "There's this big misconception that all moths come and eat my clothes. That's not what happens at all," said Dr Richard Walton, from University College London (UCL), the lead author of the new study. "Some of them happen to be visiting flowers and can be an important part of the pollination process."
To find out how vital a part the moths play, Dr Walton and colleagues monitored moth activity around ponds in agricultural areas of Norfolk. They found that 45% of the moths they tested were transporting pollen, which originated from 47 different plant species, including several that were rarely visited by bees, hoverflies and butterflies. The scientists found that while bumblebees and honeybees are critically important, they tended to target the most prolific nectar and pollen sources. Not so with moths. The researchers believe their study shows that moths complement the work of daytime pollinators and help keep plant populations diverse and abundant. They serve as a form of back-up for biodiversity, which in turn supports crop yields. The study has been published in the journal Biology Letters.
To find out how vital a part the moths play, Dr Walton and colleagues monitored moth activity around ponds in agricultural areas of Norfolk. They found that 45% of the moths they tested were transporting pollen, which originated from 47 different plant species, including several that were rarely visited by bees, hoverflies and butterflies. The scientists found that while bumblebees and honeybees are critically important, they tended to target the most prolific nectar and pollen sources. Not so with moths. The researchers believe their study shows that moths complement the work of daytime pollinators and help keep plant populations diverse and abundant. They serve as a form of back-up for biodiversity, which in turn supports crop yields. The study has been published in the journal Biology Letters.
Breaking News from the 1800s (Score:5, Informative)
I am sure that this science study has some point, but it is not the headline of the "secret" role of moths as pollinators.
Re:Breaking News from the 1800s (Score:5, Informative)
https://www.nationalgeographic... [nationalgeographic.com]
Re: Breaking News from the 1800s (Score:1)
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Yep, in fact, not only that, why would so many plants bloom at night if there weren't any pollinators?
Some plants have evolved to bloom at night precisely because they're not competing for the usual day time pollinators. If there wasn't a substantial network of night time pollinators then there wouldn't be tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of species of plant that only bloom at night and given moths are so prominent at night it didn't exactly take modern science to figure out.
Bats and moths are two of the m
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Yeah, I was teaching Gardening to a group of Scouts last week and moth pollination was one of the subjects. And let's not forget flies.
Also, nobody believes most moths eat clothes.
This isn't news for nerds, it's news for second graders.
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Science Reporting is usually kinda lame. As it is a bad headline.
However the science is more on the types and degree of pollination moths have to offer. Yea, when we see an insect with looks like hair on them, they are normally a pollinator. But how much and to what plants do they affect the most.
Most science isn't about, is this a thing, but this thing does this so much to that other thing. Then other scientist will then break it down to more detail.
We have tracked the movements of the moon thousands of
Isn't the point of TFA (Score:2)
If so It's kind of a big deal, since it means we need to protect moths or there will be bigger effects than we realized.
Tell that to my vintage suits. (Score:2)
OK? (Score:5)
What's the biggest moth in the world?
A mammoth!
What is a myth?
A female moth!
Why was the moth so unpopular?
He kept picking holes in everything!
Why did the moth nibble a hole in the carpet?
He wanted to see the floor show!
What do you call a moth that won't leave you alone?
Moth-erly
What do you get if you cross a firefly and a moth?
An insect who can find its way around a dark wardrobe!
Where do moths come from?
Moth-erland
What do you get when you cross a bee, Hercules, and a moth?
A Behemoth
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I want a superhero called The Mother, as in one who does moth things or wrangles moths, but who is always confused with a mother (meaning mom).
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I want a superhero called The Mother, as in one who does moth things or wrangles moths, but who is always confused with a mother (meaning mom).
I think he prefers to be called Arthur.
New? (Score:4, Informative)
Missouri Conservationist Covered This (Score:2)
Just this month. As an avid camper I am also a huge killer of bugs that are attracted to light at night, I'm part of the problem (as is my tennis racket bug zapper).
https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2020... [mo.gov]
I never had moths eat my clothing. (Score:2)
Perhaps I keep the screen door closed, and make sure not to many bugs get into my house, just as my family did. However I never had clothing attacked by moths.
Cool info (Score:2)
For some reason I have never been exposed to just how much moths pollenate. Yeah, makes sense with night flowers and such... but to that extend, pretty cool.
In general insects are so damn cool and weird. My kids were just telling me yesterday that large animals can appear ugly to the human eye, but you can't really call an insect "ugly". Alien, yeah. Creepy, like roaches, yeah. But ugly just doesn't fit, they are just too non-human. Notice how the blobfish is especially ugly, and it's face is almost like a