THE INFLUENCE OF DARK CENTRAL FLORETS ON INSECT ATTRACTION AND FRUIT PRODUCTION IN QUEEN-ANNES-LACE (DAUCUS-CAROTA L)

We studied the effect of the dark central florets of Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota L.) on insect visitation and fruit production in five locations in the eastern United States. In each site, the central flor ets were removed from a randomly selected sample of the study plants. Insect visitation was monitored at 48-h intervals throughout anthesis, and fruits were counted at the end of the reproductive season. In eac h location, a single insect taxon favored plants with central florets. However, in four locations these insects made up a small proportion o f the insect community. Thus, fruit production did not differ between treatment and control plants. In the fifth location, an insect that co mprised 28% of the insect community favored control umbels. Still, the re was no increase in fruit production. The central florets of Queen A nne's Lace may be adaptive when the attracted insect taxa are common, or are very effective pollinators.