anthophagy
- Pronunciation
- /an-THOF-uh-jee/
- Category
- Behavior
- Singular
- anthophagy
- Plural
- anthophagies
Definition
The consumption of flowers by certain insects or other organisms as a source of food.
Etymology
From Greek 'anthos', meaning 'flower', and 'phagein', meaning 'to eat'.
Example
Many adult Lepidoptera exhibit anthophagy as they feed on nectar from flowers.
Synonyms
- Flower-eating
Related Terms
- Herbivory
- Nectarivory
- Pollination
Usage Notes
Anthophagy is often associated with nectar-feeding but can also include consuming other parts of the flower, such as petals or pollen.