Pollination by a Guild of Fluctuating Moth Populations: Option for Unspecialization in Silene Vulgaris

The pollinating efficiency of moths was examined during four seasons by counting the number of pollen grains that individual moths deposited on the stigmas of virgin female flowers of Silene vulgaris; Experimental pollination showed that c. 150 pollent grains per flower were required to achieve the average natural full seed-set in the plant population. Although 57% of the flower-visiting moths deposited pollen, only about 10% of the moth visits delivered≥150 pollen grains in one visit to virgin female flowers, indicating that seed-sed usually originated from multiple pollinator visits (...)