Pollinators of Mores Mountain
Insects
When most people think of pollinators, the first animals that come to mind are insects. For many reasons, bees in particular get most of the attention, but even among insects there are many other workers out pollinating! If you would like more information about pollinators in general, visit this site.
Hydaspe Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe)
This small fritillary lives from June through September. In addition to its bright orange and black upper coloration, it has cream-colored underwing spots. The caterpillar form feeds on violets, and post-metamorphosis it feeds on flower nectar.
For more information about butterfly pollinators, visit this link.
Morrison's Bumble Bee (Bombus morrisoni)
Preferring open scrub habitat, this large bumble bee feeds on a variety of different plants, including rabbitbrush, thistles, milkweed, and sunflowers. It can nest in many different environments, based on what is available, including in strutures above and below ground. This fuzzy bee is a very effective and important pollinator, especially for alfalfa.
For more information about bee pollinators, including a guide on how you can help by building bee homes, visit this link.
White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata)
These moths are quite large and beautiful. Between their 2-3 inch wingspan, buzzing flight noise, and bird-like flight pattern, they can easily be mistaken for hummingbirds (and are sometimes called hummingbird moths, incorrectly). They are widespread in North America and pollinate a very wide range of plants. As caterpillars, they are voracious eaters and have a broad range of color patterns. If you see one of these, you won't soon forget it!
For more information about moth pollinators, visit this link.
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds, most weighing about 1/10th of an ounce (~3 grams), but play a big role as pollinators in North America. These birds are highly specialized nectivores, meaning they feed exclusively on nectar from flowers. This specialization has lead to flowers that have co-evolved with Hummingbirds, so they may be the only animal that can harvest their nectar, and in doing so pollinate them. This intricate relationship between an animal and its plant food source highlights how important even small animals are to maintaining a healthy ecosystem with high biodiversity.
More information about these special relationships and the bird and flower species that have evolved together can be found here.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are one of the most common hummingbirds in America. They are mid-sized for a hummingbird, and the males can be easily identified by their beautiful iridescent ruby gorget, or throat patch. This patch appears dark from many angles, but from the right angle they are impossible to miss. They have a green colored back, wings, and tail, and white underparts. Like most hummingbirds, they are migratory and spend the winter in Central America.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
Black-chinned Hummingbirds are somewhat similar in size and appearance to the Ruby-throated, with the main differences being their purple chin patch and dark, forked tail. These little birds are also a common sight in Idaho through the Summer months, and like the Ruby-throated they migrate to spend the winter in Central America.
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
These small hummingbirds have relatively short, straight beaks and feed primarily on wildflowers. They have a white breast, orange face, flank, and tail, with a bright orange iridescent throat patch. Their small size makes them particularly acrobatic, even compared to other hummingbirds!
Bats
Among nature's most unexpected pollinators are bats. These species are not present in Idaho, but they bear mention because they are a unique and important group. They are very important pollinators in desert and tropical climates. The plants that they feed from have flowers that open at night, allowing them to separate themselves from the multitudes of other plants competing for pollination during the day. Nectar-feeding bats also have unique structures in their mouths that help keep their teeth clean, this is especially important with their high-sugar diet!
For more information about pollinating bats, check out their page here.
Lesser Long-Nosed Bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae)
These small bats have long, narrow snouts with a small triangular nose leaf, perfect for lapping nectar from the large flowers of Saguaro cacti and other night-blooming plants. When they feed, their hairy faces become covered in pollen that falls onto other plants as they fly through the night. These bats are migratory; in the summer they can be found in the deserts of Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico. They winter in Mexico and Central America.
Mexican Long-Tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana)
Like the Lesser Long-Nosed Bat, these bats have furry, elongated faces designed to dig into deep flowers for nectar. They have a much more limited range, only coming into the southern parts of California and Texas.
