Moths play vital pollination role

Moths play a much more important role in pollinating plants than previously thought, say scientists.

The insects’ role as nocturnal pollinators has been reappraised in a joint study by Butterfly Conservation, the universities of York, Newcastle and Hull and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Researchers studying moths at a farm in East Yorkshire used DNA metabarcoding to identify the types of pollen they carried.

They found 34 per cent of the moths to be dispensing pollen over large areas under the cover of darkness – travelling greater distances than bees, which, while excellent pollinators, will only travel within the local area of the nest.

Dr Callum Macgregor, who led the study, said: “Over half of the plant species detected were not previously known to be visited by moths.” Samantha Herbert