Dreisig Hans
Institute of Population Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
Oecologia. 1985 Oct;67(3):360-366. doi: 10.1007/BF00384941.
The bee hawkmoth, Hemaris fuciformis, tended to fly in the same direction between successive visits to inflorescences of Viscaria vulgaris. Upon leaving an inflorescence it did not fly to the first inflorescence in its path, but to the second. At inflorescences, the number of animals that started probing decreased from the bottom to the top. These movement patterns probably serve to reduce the risk of revisiting flowers. The movements of the moths at inflorescences with 2 flowers per tier were investigated and related to the nectar distribution. The nectar is distributed according to a "bonanza-blank" pattern, flowers being either empty or full, probably because previous visitors have emptied some, but not all, flowers. It is shown that the two flowers of a tier more often than random belong to the category: blank-bonanza. Thus, if a blank is found, the animal should move sideways to the second flower at the same tier in order to find a bonanza. The flowers of the inflorescences tend to be arranged in vertical rows, and it is shown that two flowers, one above the other, more often than random belong to the two categories: blank-blank or bonanza-bonanza. Thus, if a bonanza is found, the animal should move up to the flower above, in order to find another bonanza. Rules of movement at inflorescences and a rule of departure are proposed based on the probability distribution of the nectar. The observed movements agree quite well with the predicted ones.
蜂鸟鹰蛾（Hemaris fuciformis）在连续访问普通剪秋罗（Viscaria vulgaris）的花序之间往往会朝着相同的方向飞行。离开一个花序后，它不会飞向其路径上的第一个花序，而是飞向第二个。在花序上，开始探查的动物数量从底部到顶部逐渐减少。这些运动模式可能有助于降低再次访问花朵的风险。研究了蛾在每层有两朵花的花序上的运动，并将其与花蜜分布相关联。花蜜按照“丰富 - 空”模式分布，花朵要么是空的，要么是满的，这可能是因为先前的访客清空了一些但不是所有的花朵。结果表明，同一层的两朵花属于“空 - 丰富”类别（而不是随机组合）的情况更为常见。因此，如果发现一朵花是空的，动物应该侧向移动到同一层的第二朵花以找到丰富的花蜜。花序上的花朵往往垂直排列，结果表明一朵花上方的另一朵花属于“空 - 空”或“丰富 - 丰富”类别（而不是随机组合）的情况更为常见。因此，如果发现一朵花有丰富的花蜜，动物应该向上移动到上方的花朵以找到另一朵有丰富花蜜的花。基于花蜜的概率分布，提出了花序上的运动规则和离开规则。观察到的运动与预测的运动相当吻合。
