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A Simple Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Flight in Insects

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Flower tracking in hawkmoths: behavior and energetics.

Jordanna D H Sprayberry¹, Thomas L Daniel

¹Arizona Research Laboratories, Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Gould-Simpson Building Room 611, 1040 E. 4th Street, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. jspray@neurobio.arizona.edu

The Journal of Experimental Biology

|December 16, 2006

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Hawkmoths (Manduca sexta) track flower movements to feed, performing best at 1 Hz. Flower motion direction significantly impacts feeding success, with looming motions posing the greatest challenge.

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Area of Science:

Entomology
Biomechanics
Animal Energetics

Background:

Hovering insects like hawkmoths must actively track floral movements to access nectar.
Understanding how motion affects feeding performance is crucial for insect-flower interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the tracking, feeding, and energetic performance of Manduca sexta when feeding from flowers with varied motion frequencies and directions.
To determine the impact of motion frequency and direction on hawkmoth feeding efficiency and energy gain.

Main Methods:

Hawkmoths (Manduca sexta) were presented with artificial flowers moving at different frequencies (0-5 Hz) and directions (horizontal, vertical, looming).
Tracking ability, feeding rates, and net energy gain were measured for each condition.

Main Results:

Tracking performance decreased with increasing frequency, with optimal tracking at 1 Hz.
Feeding rates remained relatively constant across tested frequencies but were lower for looming motion.
Energy expenditure for tracking was minimal compared to energy intake, with net energy gain mirroring feeding rates.
Hawkmoths struggled to track looming motion, resulting in reduced feeding and net energy gain.

Conclusions:

Manduca sexta exhibits frequency-dependent tracking, with 1 Hz being optimal.
Looming motion presents a significant challenge for hawkmoth feeding and energy acquisition.
Floral motion direction has a greater impact on hawkmoth performance than motion frequency.