Floral CO 2 reveals flower profitability to moths

Corinna Thom; Pablo G. Guerenstein; Wendy L. Mechaber; John G. Hildebrand

doi:10.1023/B:JOEC.0000030298.77377.7d

Floral CO ₂ reveals flower profitability to moths

Corinna Thom, Pablo G. Guerenstein, Wendy L. Mechaber, John G. Hildebrand

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

107 Scopus citations

Abstract

The hawkmoth Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), an experimentally favorable Lepidopteran that is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO ₂), feeds on the nectar of a range of flowering plants, such as Datura wrightii (Solanaceae). Newly opened Datura flowers give off dramatically elevated levels of CO ₂ and offer ample nectar. Thus, floral CO ₂ emission could indicate food-source profitability. This study documents that foraging Manduca moths prefer surrogate flowers that emit high levels of CO ₂, characteristic of newly opened Datura flowers. We show for the first time that CO ₂ may play an important role in the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding insects.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1285-1288
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Chemical Ecology
Volume	30
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000030298.77377.7d
State	Published - Jun 2004

Keywords

CO
Datura wrightii
Manduca sexta
foraging
insect-plant interactions
labial-palp pit organ

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Biochemistry

Access to Document

10.1023/B:JOEC.0000030298.77377.7d

Cite this

@article{5a61b1e6e2af4f9d98b2d5538a1404ae,

title = "Floral CO 2 reveals flower profitability to moths",

abstract = "The hawkmoth Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), an experimentally favorable Lepidopteran that is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO 2), feeds on the nectar of a range of flowering plants, such as Datura wrightii (Solanaceae). Newly opened Datura flowers give off dramatically elevated levels of CO 2 and offer ample nectar. Thus, floral CO 2 emission could indicate food-source profitability. This study documents that foraging Manduca moths prefer surrogate flowers that emit high levels of CO 2, characteristic of newly opened Datura flowers. We show for the first time that CO 2 may play an important role in the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding insects.",

keywords = "CO, Datura wrightii, Manduca sexta, foraging, insect-plant interactions, labial-palp pit organ",

author = "Corinna Thom and Guerenstein, {Pablo G.} and Mechaber, {Wendy L.} and Hildebrand, {John G.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments—We thank the German Academic Exchange Service, the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation, and grants NSF IBN 9983302 and IBN 0213032 for financial support.",

year = "2004",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1023/B:JOEC.0000030298.77377.7d",

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Journal of Chemical Ecology",

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T1 - Floral CO 2 reveals flower profitability to moths

AU - Thom, Corinna

AU - Guerenstein, Pablo G.

AU - Mechaber, Wendy L.

AU - Hildebrand, John G.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments—We thank the German Academic Exchange Service, the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation, and grants NSF IBN 9983302 and IBN 0213032 for financial support.

PY - 2004/6

Y1 - 2004/6

N2 - The hawkmoth Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), an experimentally favorable Lepidopteran that is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO 2), feeds on the nectar of a range of flowering plants, such as Datura wrightii (Solanaceae). Newly opened Datura flowers give off dramatically elevated levels of CO 2 and offer ample nectar. Thus, floral CO 2 emission could indicate food-source profitability. This study documents that foraging Manduca moths prefer surrogate flowers that emit high levels of CO 2, characteristic of newly opened Datura flowers. We show for the first time that CO 2 may play an important role in the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding insects.

AB - The hawkmoth Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), an experimentally favorable Lepidopteran that is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO 2), feeds on the nectar of a range of flowering plants, such as Datura wrightii (Solanaceae). Newly opened Datura flowers give off dramatically elevated levels of CO 2 and offer ample nectar. Thus, floral CO 2 emission could indicate food-source profitability. This study documents that foraging Manduca moths prefer surrogate flowers that emit high levels of CO 2, characteristic of newly opened Datura flowers. We show for the first time that CO 2 may play an important role in the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding insects.

KW - CO

KW - Datura wrightii

KW - Manduca sexta

KW - foraging

KW - insect-plant interactions

KW - labial-palp pit organ

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