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10-Minute Presentation

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

10-min: P-IE, Pollinators 1

Documenting the common insect floral visitors of Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera: Euphorbiaceae)

Sunday, November 10, 2024
8:36 AM – 8:48 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 221 B, PCC
Oral Presentation
Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera: Euphorbiaceae) is a small to medium-sized tree native to southern China. Tallow was first introduced from China to the United States in 1776 in hopes of establishing a soap industry, yet over the past 250 years it has escaped cultivation and has rapidly established itself as an invasive plant in the southeastern United States. Studies have documented the spread of tallow within the U.S., yet few have investigated its pollination biology or the potential negative effects it may have on the native flora and fauna. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the common insect pollinators that utilize tallow as a pollen and/or nectar source. To accomplish this, we carried out pollinator surveys during the tallow bloom during the springs of 2021 and 2022 across Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana. We documented over 900 pollinating insects belonging to 4 orders (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera), 41 families, and 135 genera/species visiting the tallow blooms. Future studies should focus on evaluating the pollination contribution of native pollinators to tallow, and the degree to which tallow is outcompeting native flowering plant species in the southeastern United States.