University
College London (UCL), 12th May 2020 - Moths are important pollen
transporters in English farmlands and play a significant role in the
maintenance of crop yields. Although they may not receive as much media
coverage as daytime pollinators but research led by (UCL) showed that
nocturnal moths have a larger, more complex pollination network and will
often compliment the pollination done by the daytime pollinators. Moths
will commonly visit the same flowers already visited and will visit
flowers that hasn't been pollinated during the day. They serve as a form of back-up for biodiversity, which in
turn supports crop yields.
Lead author, Dr Richard Walton (UCL Geography researcher) had stated that moths have a vital, yet often overlooked pollinators which play vital ecological functions being responsible to a certain degree of floral diversity and abundance. He also makes a bold statement that many species including bats, mammals, birds etc would be put under significant pressure without the moth.
Lead author, Dr Richard Walton (UCL Geography researcher) had stated that moths have a vital, yet often overlooked pollinators which play vital ecological functions being responsible to a certain degree of floral diversity and abundance. He also makes a bold statement that many species including bats, mammals, birds etc would be put under significant pressure without the moth.
Moths
uniquely pollen with their chest instead of their tongue optimizing the
volume of pollen being transported. This essentially means more pollen
from a single interaction will be introduced to higher numbers of flower
individuals. While feeding, the moth's distinctly hairy body comes into
contact with the male floral reproductive parts where higher quantities
of pollen will attach to these hairs.
While
investigating the importance of moths, they monitored ponds in
agricultural regions in Norfolk where it was noted that 45% of the moths
were transporting pollen derived from 47 different floral species.
Moths are seen as generalists where they can pollinate/ feed on a wide
range of floral species, meanwhile, bumble/ honeybees will target the
most prolific nectar and pollen sources.
This study has come at a pivotal period in our climate crisis as moths are suffering from serious decline with a 28% decline in the UK since 1968. Interstingly, the southern portion of England have suffered from a 40% reduction, meanwhile, the northern proportion has displayed no significant decline. This is likely to be due to the higher abundance of urban centers along the south. Street lights have had detrimental effects on nocturnal species which confuses them on when to feed. Some individuals may feed during the day time where they're out competed by diurnal species. Chemical pesticides are also responsible where they reduce floral diversity and will often be toxic to moths when consumed.
Dr Walton (UCL Geography) concluded: “While
bumblebees and honeybees are known to be super pollinators they also
preferentially target the most prolific nectar and pollen sources.
“Moths
may appear to be less effective pollinators by comparison, but their
high diversity and abundance may make them critical to pollination in
ways that we still need to understand. Our research sheds light on a
little known world of nocturnal plant-insect interactions that might be
vital to the look and smell of our precious countryside and to the crops
that we grow.”
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- Walton, R., 2020. Moths Have A Secret But Vital Role As Pollinators In The Night. [online] UCL News. Available at: <https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/may/moths-have-secret-vital-role-pollinators-night> [Accessed 8 August 2020].
- Butterfly-conservation.org. 2020. The State Of Britain's Moths. [online] Available at: <https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/the-state-of-britains-moths> [Accessed 8 August 2020].
