Clear skies. Low 16F. Winds light and variable..
Clear skies. Low 16F. Winds light and variable. Hydrogen By Natural Gas
The fungus gnat Leia ishitanii. (NISHIGAKI Hiroki via SWNS)
The flower of Arisaema thunbergii uses a musky odor to lure fungus gnats that usually feed and lay their eggs. (YAMASHITA Hiroaki via SWNS)
The fungus gnat Leia ishitanii. (NISHIGAKI Hiroki via SWNS)
By Isobel Williams via SWNS
A gnat is using a death trap plant as a nursery.
Scientists have discovered in a group of plants famous for luring its pollinators to their deaths is one particular species which offers its flowers as a nursery in exchange.
The famously deceptive plant genus Arisaema is described by the researchers as the only plant that achieves pollination at the expense of the pollinator's life.
It uses a musky odor to lure fungus gnats that usually feed and lay their eggs on mushrooms into their cup-shaped flowers.
The insects can escape from the male flowers, but only after tribulations that will result in them being covered in pollen.
However, there is no escape from the female flowers, and once they enter these, the involuntary pollen carriers struggle to find an exit, which ensures that they will pollinate the flower, but they can't get a hold on the waxy interior and perish.
Researchers at Kobe University in Japan gathered male and female flowers of a particular Arisaema species, A. thunbergii, and looked closely both at what species of insects got trapped and at what happens to the flowers after pollination.
The flower of Arisaema thunbergii uses a musky odor to lure fungus gnats that usually feed and lay their eggs. (YAMASHITA Hiroaki via SWNS)
The findings, published in the journal Plants, People, Planet, show that the main pollinator, a fungus gnat by the name of Leia ishitanii, lays its eggs into the flowers, effectively using the deadly plant as a nursery.
The larvae feed on the decaying flowers, developing into adult fungus gnats that emerge after a few weeks.
They also sometimes found gnats emerge from flowers without any corpses of members of that species. This suggests that at least some of the insects are actually able to escape the trap.
The researchers noted that A. thunbergii might be an example of an unusual evolutionary process from deception to mutualism.
Professor Kenji Suetsugu said: “This finding adds a new dimension to our knowledge of plant-insect interactions, but the most exciting aspect is that even in well-studied fields, there is still much to learn."
He added: "Nature is full of surprises.
“Our study highlights the need to refine existing models of pollination biology beyond the traditional mutualistic or deceptive paradigms, thus contributing to a more nuanced understanding of plant-pollinator dynamics.”
Originally published on talker.news, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
VERNON — If you're looking for an explosion of bright colored tulips to give to your favorite mother in May, Vermont Farm Wife Flowers has a b…
MANCHESTER — Four local hotels earned top rankings in the US News & World Report’s report for 2024. For hotels in Vermont, the Kimpton Tac…
BRATTLEBORO — It seems those of us who enjoy the special treat of handmade bonbons, truffles and dark chocolate bars from Tavernier Chocolates…
Homemade sourdough bagels in Bennington? Yes, please! That seems to be the overwhelming reaction to a new home bagel bakery making its mark in…
The Sunderland Select Board is expected to discuss the sale of the Orvis corporate headquarters property on Conservation Way at its next meeting.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks. We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Hydrogen Generation System Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.