Flying by night: Comparing nocturnal pollinator networks over time in the Colorado Rocky Mountains

Because pollen-transport networks tend to vary widely over short periods of time but remain consistent over longer periods of time, it is important to account for study length when characterizing pollen-transport network structure. The study of nocturnal pollen-transport networks independently from diurnal pollinator networks has also been emphasized, as nocturnal pollen-transport networks are an often overlooked ecosystem component. 
Here, we systematically compare the properties of moth pollen-transport pollinator networks in Colorado, USA, over the course of a season, and test for a link between specialization and pollinator morphology. We sampled moths for pollen over nine weeks in June through August 2021. We then constructed pollen-transport networks, and used mixed models to test for differences in network indices between different parts of the 2021 season; we also tested for a relationship between moth proboscis length, moth presence across seasons, and the number of flower spec..., Study sites
In Gunnison County, Colorado, USA, summer 2021, we sampled a total of four sites around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) (38°57′5”N, 106°59′6”W, 2912 m.a.s.l.) (Fig. 1). This is a high-altitude montane ecosystem, with dry meadows bordering aspen forests. Evening temperatures obtained from a weather station located within 600 meters of sites 1-3 ranged from 5°C to 15°C, with occasional rainy periods. Sampling never took place on a day with more than 0.5mm mean rainfall over the sampling period. There was no significant difference in temperatures recorded over our early, middle, and late-season sampling periods; the mean temperature during sampling hours in the early season was 9°C (SD = 2.8), 8.6°C (SD = 2) in the middle season, and 10°C (SD = 2.9) in the late season. Our sampling encompassed the peak wildflower bloom and the post-snowmelt growing season; the number of overall species flowering in the area increased from approximately 60 species at the start of..., , # Data from: Flying by night: Comparing nocturnal pollinator networks over time in the Colorado Rocky Mountains

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573npc](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573npc)

## Description of the data and file structure

Raw pollinator and pollen transport data

This dataset contains data on individual moths sampled from light traps over the course of Summer 2021, and the amount and species of pollen grain that sampled individuals were found to be transporting.

### Files and variables

#### File: moths\_cleaner2.csv

**Description:**  this dataset may be used, with some processing (see attached code), to construct pollen-transport networks across different parts of the season, as well as analyze relationships between moth proboscis length and degree of specialization (number of different plant species pollinated).

##### Variables

* Site: location at which moths were being sampled. Site 3 corresponds to Site 1 in the published manuscript;  site 4 corresponds to ...