Moth-pollination through the looking glass: Structure of a flower-settling moth network reveals functional groups

Plant-pollinator mutualisms are key to sustaining ecosystem function and biodiversity. The study of plant-pollinator networks has conventionally focused on diurnal interactions, while flower-settling moths are among the most diverse yet least understood pollinator groups. Our main objective was to bring to focus the structure and function of a flower-settling moth network based on a previous pollination study in the Florida Sandhill. Specifically, we considered key taxonomic, life history, and functional traits of moths as potential drivers of network structure. We integrated two network types: 1. Flower-visitor, based on direct field observation of moths visiting flowers for nectar; and 2. Pollen transport, inferred from the identification of pollen found on trapped moths. Flower-settling moth networks were diverse and significantly structured (modular). Moth phenology and caterpillar host-plant interactions associated with module formation. Additionally, functionally similar moths wer..., Dataset for moth-flower interactions was provided from a previous study published by the lead author on the diversity and flower-nectar hosts of settling moths within a sandhill ecosystem. We integrated two network types, based on two methods applied by the latter study to document flower-settling moth interactions: 1. Flower-visitor network - based on individual field observations of moths taking nectar on flowers; and 2. Pollen- transport network - based on the identification of pollen found on individual moths sampled from traps. 
For each interaction, the dataset includes Moth and Flower identification (Family, genus, species), the network type, specimen voucher number, date of interaction, and Functional traits, including flower tube-length and moth wingspan, proboscis length and body size were measured and included for each interaction in the dataset.
Input for both the flower-visitor and pollen-transport networks was structured the same for easy integration. Input included a..., , # Data from: Moth-pollination through the looking glass: Structure of a flower-settling moth network reveals functional groups

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.gxd2547xh](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gxd2547xh)

## Description of the data and file structure

The dataset includes individual interactions of moths and flowers, either observed directly (flower-visitor) or inferred from pollen found on moths (pollen-transport). Functional traits such as proboscis length (mm), wingspan (mm), and flower tube length (mm) are included. If the values are not determined, then the cells are left blank.

Data was derived from the following sources:

* Lead author, previous publication (Atwater 2013)

### Files and variables

#### File: RAW_DATA_Ecological_Entomology_ID_24-0350-EEN.csv

**Description:** 

##### Variables

* network type (flower-visitor, pollen transport): type of ecological network the interaction belongs to
* specimen no.: unique specimen identifier
* Date of interaction: The date on w...,