Book 16, Question 59
How Does a Joshua Tree Depend on One Little Moth?
A Joshua tree depends on one little moth, and the moth depends on the tree! It is a partnership where each one helps the other. They have been teammates for a very long time, and neither one can live well without the other.
More fun facts
- Joshua trees can only be pollinated by tiny yucca moths, each about the size of a grain of rice.
- The moths gather pollen with special mouthparts and carry it from flower to flower.
- The moth needs the Joshua tree to complete its own life cycle.
- When two species depend entirely on each other like this, it's called obligate mutualism.
- Scientists once thought one moth species pollinated both kinds of Joshua trees, but eastern Joshua trees have their own moth.
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
How big is a yucca moth?
Each one is about the size of a grain of rice.