Butterflies and Moths Utilize Static Electricity for Pollination, Study Shows

Butterflies and moths accumulate static electricity while flying, enabling them to collect pollen without landing on flowers. This phenomenon, already known in bees and hummingbirds, has now been observed in LepidOpterans, science reports. The friction between their wings and the air generates enough static charge to pull pollen grains across air gaps of several millimeters or centimeters. This is prepared by SSP.

In a study published on July 24 in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, researchers Sam England and Daniel Robert measured the electrostatic charges of 269 butterflies and moths from 11 different species. They found that the average charge, around 50 picocoulombs, can move 100 pollen grains over at least six millimeters. The study also revealed that flowers, having their own electric pull, assist butterflies and moths in pollination without the need to touch the plants.

Variations in the static charge across species are thought to be due to differences in ecological adaptations. For example, positive charges, common in species from temperate regions, help insects detect flowers' electric fields, thus locating nectar. Conversely, negative charges prevalent in tropical species might help them evade predators. England, working with Robert during their tenure at the University of Bristol, suggests that these adaptations are evolutionary traits influenced by natural selection.

Moreover, this research opens discussions on the broader implications of static electricity in pollination, highlighting its potential application in enhancing agricultural productivity. By artificially increasing the static charge of pollinators or pollen, pollination efficiencies in both natural and agricultural systems could be improved.

This discovery emphasizes butterflies' and moths' critical roles as effective pollinators and suggests that the significance of electrostatic pollination in the animal kingdom is likely more extensive than previously perceived. Future studies might expand on different species to understand the interplay between static electricity and evolution better.