FRIENDS AND ENEMIES 
35 
flower for a long drink of nectar. At the same 
time the moth dusts off onto its body some of 
the pollen, which it carries to the next blossom. 
It takes a great many honeysuckles to satisfy a 
thirsty sphinx moth. It flies about all night, 
guided by the perfume of the flowers, and by 
their white color. 
White shows up much more plainly at night 
than red or other colors. That is why more 
white flowers than any other color smell sweet. 
They are designed to attract night flying insects. 
Sometimes the moths do not get to all the 
flowers before morning. The honeysuckles 
that have been pollinated turn yellow and close 
as a sign that they do not need any more visitors. 
The ones which have not been visited by the 
moths stay open for a time in the morning to 
let the bees and the butterflies do what they can. 
They come around anyway to get what is left. 
If the night has been clear and calm, they will 
not find much nectar or pollen because the 
moths have taken it all, but if the night was 
stormy, the moths would have had to find 
