Plant scent cycles shape diets and antennae size of pollinators, new research shows.
Plant scent cycles shape diets and antennae size of pollinators, new research shows.
The scent of blooming flowers and fresh plant life is not just a perk of springtime; it is a key driver in the survival and evolution of butterflies and moths. New research led by scientists at Penn State reveals how the daily cycles of plant aromas are linked to the dietary habits and evolution of the winged insects collectively known as Lepidoptera.
In a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, an international team of researchers tested a new hypothesis for why some Lepidoptera have very specific diets, feeding on only a few types of plants, while others are far less picky.
The new idea, called the Salient Aroma Hypothesis, suggests that the smells plants release play a crucial role in determining how specialized a butterfly or moth's diet becomes. The researchers found that greater availability of plant aromas during the day provides more chemical information for day-active insects to use to locate and specialize on particular host plants, while the decrease in plant aromas at nighttime means night-active Lepidoptera have to take what they can get and have a more varied diet.
Read more at Penn State
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