Platanthera obtusata ​[pollination & insect interaction]

Unknown Spider hunting on Platanthera obtusata. Cass County, Mn. 7-15-24

Blunt Leafed Rein Orchid [Platanthera obtusata]. Cass County, Mn. 7-15-21. Notice the anther sack on the left is still intact [containing pollinarium and viscidium [the tear drop at the tip of the anther sack]]

Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moths [a known pollinator of Platanthera obtusata].  Coos County, N.H. 7-3-22. Close up showing the mouth parts and unknown pollen.

Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moths [a known pollinator of Platanthera obtusata].  Coos County, N.H. 7-3-22. Notice the tiny grains of unknown pollen its proboscis.

Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moths [a known pollinator of Platanthera obtusata].  Coos County, N.H. 7-3-22. Notice the tiny unknown pollen grains on its proboscis.

Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moths [a known pollinator of Platanthera obtusata].  Coos County, N.H. 7-3-22. Close up of its mouth parts, notice its proboscis is curled and showing tiny grains of unknown pollen.

 Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moths [a known pollinator of Platanthera obtusata].  Coos County, N.H. 7-3-22. Notice its proboscis is curled, and is covered in tiny grains of unknown pollen. 

-Many Spotted Scoparia Moth [Scoparis basalis] on Platanther obtusata. Coos County, N.H. 7-3-33. Possible pollinator for P. obusata ​

Many Spotted Scoparia Moth [Scoparis basalis] on Platanther obtusata.  Coos County, N.H. 7-3-33. Possible pollinator for P. obusata ​

Many Spotted Scoparia Moth [Scoparis basalis] on Platanther obtusata. Coos County, N.H. 7-3-33. Possible pollinator for P. obusata 

This series of pictures shows Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moths [a known pollinator of Platanthera obtusata] and also Many Spotted Scoparia Moth [Scoparis basalis] , [pictures 3,4,& 5] a possible pollinator of Platanthera obtusata. Coos County, N.H. 7-3-22. No pollinarium was seen in these pictures on this day, as it would be attached to the eyes

This series of pictures shows the proboscis of a Yellow Spotted Webworm [Anageshna primordialis] Moth[a known pollinator of this orchid] uncoiling to search the spur of Platanthera obtusata for nectar and in process inadvertently pollinating the flower. The pollinarium would attach to the eye of this moth, after being pulled from the anther sack. By having the viscidium [located at the tip of the anther sack] stuck to its eye and thus pulling out the pollinarium out of the anther sack. All of this happening while the unsuspecting moth searches for nectar in the spur of the flower.