Butterflies have the ability to regulate hearing when attacked

According to British researchers, moths have the ability to regulate hearing to escape bats. Bats emit ultrasonic frequencies to detect prey at night.

Researchers have long known that moths can hear some ultrasound sounds but they think their hearing systems are not sensitive to all the frequencies emitted by predators.

Noctua pronuba moths have a very simple auditory system, made up of two to four cells sensitive to vibrations connected to a membrane. When approaching the butterfly, the bat makes a louder cry.

The team, led by James Windmill of Bristol University, found that the sensitivity of butterfly ears also changed and adapted to bat frequency changes. Even when bats no longer make ultrasonic noises, the butterfly ears remain in a vigil for a few minutes, ready for another attack.

According to the researchers, if butterflies are able to adapt to the cries of bats, bats may also have the same ability to be undetected. The study was published in Current Biology.

Butterfly Noctua pronuba (Photo: nrcan.gc.ca)