The role of flower inclination, depth, and height in the preferences of a pollinating beetle (Coleoptera: Glaphyridae)

Amots Dafni, Simon G. Potts

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Amphicoma (Glaphyridae) beetles are important pollinators of red bowl-shaped flowers in the Mediterranean. The role of color and shape in flower choice is well studied but the roles of inclination, depth, and height have seldom been investigated. Under field conditions, models were used to experimentally manipulate these three characters and visitation rates of beetles were recorded. Models with red horizontal surfaces were visited significantly more often than models with red vertical surfaces. Shallow flower models were visited significantly more than deeper equivalents. Models below or at the height of natural flower populations elicited significantly more landings than models above the height of flowers. Inclination, depth, and height characteristics are all likely to be important components in the flower preferences exhibited by pollinating beetles.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)823-834
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Insect Behavior
Volume17
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2004

Keywords

  • Amphicoma
  • Beetles
  • Depth perception
  • Floral character
  • Flower choice
  • Vision

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Insect Science

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