Researchers from the University of Washington and University of Arizona staged an experiment in an attempts to understand how insects find flowers from long distances.
The researchers stated pollution from various sources could make it difficult for insects to find flowers, which serve as their source of food.
To gather data for their study, researchers observed the tobacco hornworm mouth, known for its ability to find flowers from long distances. This species of moth is nocturnal, with a wingspan of about 4 inches, and lives in Canada and Central America. Researchers found insects in the United States favored the flower Sacred Datura.
The scientists used a wind tunnel connected to an odor-stimulus system. Using computer commands, the researchers sought to see how well the moths could distinguish the smell of Sacred Datura. They filled the tunnel with various odors from different plants and from creosote bushes that thrived in a nearby place. They also included some chemicals identified in the exhaust created by vehicles.
The researchers examined the moth's neuron pathways through the electrode connected to its antennal lobe. The antennae functions as the moth's nose and is linked to its olfactory system.
They found the moths could identify the smell of the flower even hundreds of meters away if there weren't any competing odors nearby. Other odors may also affect the moth's ability to trace the flower's scent and interferes with the normal function of their olfactory system.
"The total combination of dynamic odors, including floral signature odors as well as anthropogenic pollutants, can affect the success of olfactory-based resource finding," said Leif Abrell, an associate research scientist from the University of Arizona, to Reuters.
Further findings of this study were published in the June 28 issue of Science.
