A to Z challenge 2023 – P is for . . .

 

A to Z challenge 2023 – P is for . . .

My theme for this challenge is Nature in all much of her wonderful diversity. My posts will reflect the fact that I am resident in the south of England.

All photographs in this post are the property of the writer.

Pollinators

Marmalade hoverfly on cornflower

The first beasties that come to mind as pollinators are bees and butterflies, but birds, moths, flies, beetles and wasps all play their part. Even small mammals like mice can contribute to the greater good.

Honey bee on pyracantha

Robins, blackbirds, blue tits and starlings are among the birds that are classed as pollinators. Even humans can be responsible for accidentally transferring pollen from one place to another. (Some do it deliberately, with a fine paintbrush. I had a sudden vision then of someone wielding a house-painter’s brush, maybe even a roller!)

Bumble bee in nasturtium

Some of the pollinators have interesting habits. For example, the bumblebees, those big furry insects that tempt one to stroke them, vibrate their bodies to dislodge pollen. The bees then comb the pollen off their bodies into little baskets on their legs. This is called buzz pollination and while most of the pollen is taken back to the nest to feed their young, some will be transferred to the next flowers the bees visit.

Bumble bee with pollen grains

Some species of bumblebees can fly at around 15 kilometres an hour – that’s 9.3 miles per hour. The average walking speed of a reasonably fit human is 3 to 4 miles per hour!

Marmalade hoverfly going about its business

Marmalade hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus) are prodigious pollinators and extremely migratory, able to travel hundreds of miles a day. Billions of them fly in and out of southern Britain every year, carrying copious amounts of pollen. They visit almost three quarters of global food crops and over 70% of wildflowers. They also feed on aphids, so do double service.

Blackbird in honeysuckle

Not all bees live in communities, and the pantaloon bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) is one I haven’t seen, but I love the name. She is one of nearly 250 species of solitary bees and sports a host of long orange hairs on her hind legs, which convey the pollen back to the nest.

Bumble bee  with rapidly filling basket of pollen

Wasps (Vespula vulgaris) have their purpose, too, as pollinators. They have high energy requirements, so search out flower nectar. In the process, pollen sticks to their bodies, so even though they are not as hairy as bees, they are still important pollinators. Remember that, the next time you attempt to swat one!

Cabbage white feeding. Enlarge photograph to see the tongue

Gatekeeper butterfly feeding on scabious

Essex skipper on thistle

Moths and butterflies also collect pollen on their bodies as they search for nectar.

Juvenile starling in honeysuckle

Beetles have been important pollinators for millions of years. Some have adapted to a pollen-rich diet, while others, like the ladybirds, enjoy pollen as a pleasant addition to their usual diet of aphids. 

Dusty-looking six spot ladybird on pansy

Around 1000 species of the UK’s beetles, about a quarter of the total, are pollinators. Some are dedicated pollinators while others pollinate incidentally, moving pollen as they travel around.

 

 

 

April A to Z blogging challenge Moths

Yesterday my husband asked me if I knew that some moths migrate. I hadn’t really thought about it but decided it sounded probable, as I knew butterflies migrated and moths and butterflies belong to the same order, Lepidoptera.

Then he asked me which would migrate most speedily – birds or moths. Logically, at least as far as logic exists in my brain, I thought it must be moths – they’re lighter and smaller – but in fact birds and moths take the same amount of time to travel.

Night-flying moths match birds in efficient speed and direction, flying between 30 and 65 km per hour, but use different tactics. With a following wind they may fly as fast as 90 kmh. Birds navigate using visual markers, like rivers or mountains, the sun as a compass, the earth’s magnetic field and, for those that fly by night, the stars. They also fly in flocks led by experienced adults. Moths do not fly in flocks but have a genetically pre-determined preferred direction and are able to detect fast-moving winds. They only migrate on nights when the winds are favourable for the direction in which they need to travel and choose the most auspicious altitude. They may fly as far as 700 km in an eight-hour flight.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Most of the UK’s 2,500 species of moths are resident but some are visitors, often from as far away as North Africa, some 3,000 miles. One stunning moth is the Hummingbird Hawk-moth which journeys from the Mediterranean and North Africa. It arrives between April and December with most migrants appearing in August and September. In hotter summers greater numbers are seen. This moth breeds in UK and it is thought that some of the offspring may endure in milder winters.

The Silver Y moth has been monitored flying vertically to catch faster winds at high altitude. It breeds profusely but very few moths born in Britain survive the winter.

The bat that flies at close of eve . . .

This evening we thought at first there was a large moth flying very fast around our sitting room. Too big, too fast - we couldn't capture it on film! Suffice to say our sitting room is free of insects . . . and the cats and dogs didn't react - obviously their sonar is not up to it. What a privilege though to have a bat flitting round our living quarters. This has never happened before - we count ourselves lucky to see an occasional bat flying overhead. Wow! We think it found access through the Velux window in the kitchen. (Note to self - have camera at the ready at all times . . . and learn to react speedily . . . ) My goodness, still thrilled (what a sad life I lead . . . ;-))

Butterfly or Moth?

When I was a child I thought the differences between butterflies and moths were simple – butterflies flew during the day and settled with their wings closed while moths were nocturnal, attracted to light and rested with wings displayed. Then I discovered that some moths are diurnal. Apparently the antennae give the most obvious clues to the nature of the beastie – usually. Butterflies have long thickened antennae which are club or pin-shaped at the ends. Moths' antennae are comb-like or feathery. There are exceptions – some moths have clubbed antennae and some butterflies from central African forests don't.

The Large or Cabbage White (Pieris brassicae) is an exception in the bright world of butterflies.

Most butterflies have brightly-coloured wings - wing colour and pattern play a major role in courtship. Night-flying or crepuscular moths usually have plain colours – black, brown, grey or white. Females attract males by releasing a chemical signal. Additionally their wings may have swirling or linear patterns which serve as camouflage when they are resting during the day. Exceptions are the day-flying moths which have bright colours, especially if they are poisonous. Moths have a frenulum – a minute hook or bristle – linking fore and hind wings. Butterflies lack this feature – usually. There is an Australian Skipper which has this.

The bodies of butterflies are slim while moths have sturdier often hairy bodies. Moths tend to look quite downy because the scales on their wings are larger, perhaps because they need to conserve heat in the cool of the night. Butterfly scales are smaller and they can utilise solar radiation.

Resting butterflies usually fold their wings though they bask with open wings for short periods. However, the skippers often resemble moths in their resting position while moths may fold their wings when in confined spaces.

The Dingy Skipper (Eryynis tages) looks quite like a moth with its thick body and habit of resting with wings outspread.