Phenology and foraging bias contribute to sex-specific foraging patterns in the rare declining butterfly Argynnis idalia idalia.

ABSTRACT: Variation in pollinator foraging behavior can influence pollination effectiveness, community diversity, and plant-pollinator network structure. Although effects of interspecific variation have been widely documented, studies of intraspecific variation in pollinator foraging are relatively rare. Sex-specific differences in resource use are a strong potential source of intraspecific variation, especially in species where the phenology of males and females differ. Differences may arise from encountering different flowering communities, sex-specific traits, nutritional requirements, or a combination of these factors. We evaluated sex-specific foraging patterns in the eastern regal fritillary butterfly (Argynnis idalia idalia), leveraging a 21-year floral visitation dataset. Because A

SUBMITTER: Chmielewski MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10353922 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature