Bats Evaded by Insect with Super Hearing Capabilities

Superman isn't the only one with super hearing. A small insect also has extraordinary capabilities when it comes to listening to high sound frequencies. Researchers have discovered that the greater wax moth is capable of sensing frequencies of up to 300 kHz--that's the highest recorded frequency sensitivity of any animal in the natural world.

The moth actually makes our own sense of hearing laughable by comparison. Humans are only capable of hearing sounds of 20 kHz maximum, dropping to around 12 to 15 kHz as we age. Even dolphins, which are mammals known for their ultrasound, can only hear sounds around 160 kHz.

That leaves this particular insect at the top of the hearing food chain. Yet it's perhaps not surprising considering that its main predator is a bat, a creature that uses ultrasonic calls to locate its prey. With its highly attuned hearing, the moth can actually hear the bat's calls and can potentially avoid becoming a midnight snack.

"We are extremely surprised to find that the moth is capable of hearing sound frequencies at this level, and we hope to use the findings to better understand air-coupled ultrasound," said James Windmill, the lead researcher, in a new release. "The use of ultrasound in air is extremely difficult as such high frequency signals are quickly weakened in air. Other animals such as bats are known to use ultrasound to communicate and now it is clear that moths are capable of even more advanced use of sound."

Bats themselves actually utilize echolocation calls around 212 kHz. This gives the moths some breathing room as they listen for the sounds. It's very possible that as the two species evolved, they competed in an evolutionary tug-of-war--the bat achieved calls that were ever high while the moths achieved the ability to listen to these calls in response.

"It is possible that they have had to improve the communication between each other to avoid capture from their natural predator--the bat--which use similar sounds," said Windmill.

The findings don't only allow the researcher to see a fascinating adaptation among insects, though. The research will also allow the scientists to further develop their understanding of ultrasound and how to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses travelling in air.

The findings are published in the journal Biology Letters.