News Animals

Static electricity may help butterflies and moths gather pollen on the fly

Electrostatic pollination might be a widespread phenomenon

a rust colored spotted butterfly on purple flowers

Some moths and butterflies, including the European peacock butterfly pictured here, can accumulate static electricity, new research shows. The charges may be strong enough to draw pollen from flowers.

J. England

By Anna Gibbs

Birds do it. Bees do it. Even butterflies and moths do it.

As lepidopterans flutter their wings, friction with the air causes them to accumulate static electricity — enough to potentially pull pollen from nearby flowers, new research suggests.