Ultrasonic genitalia

It’s pitch black, you’re a big-old hawk-moth flying through the night in search of nocturnal nectar and a mate, when your in-flight detection systems pick up the sound of an incoming bat. You can duck and dive, but chances are the bat’s echolocation system will pick you out of the dark and it’s bye-bye hawkeye! What to do? Seemingly, the obvious answer is to rub your genitalia against your abdomen. I mean, it sounds like a last chance at some pleasure in your short life before being eaten by the flying mouse, right? Well, not so fast, many species of hawk-moth (the Sphingidae, often known as Sphinx moths outside British mothing circles) have rough areas on their genitalia, specially adapted scales, that when rubbed rapidly against the abdomen generate ultrasound that confuses bats. It’s like the anti-bat lepidopteral equivalent of a radio jammer. Research this month in Proceedings B of the Royal Society suggests this technique for deterring bats has evolved independently up to seven…

Commenting on Bubbles has been removed. Why? If you want to talk about this post, write to the author, use the comments on their blog if it has them, or reply with a "RE:" post on your own blog. Suggestions? feedback@bubbles.town