Moth claims title for best high-frequency hearing
MAY 08, 2013
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026996
BBC : The greater wax moth has been shown in a recent study to be able to detect some sounds with frequencies up to 300 kHz. In comparison, humans top out at 20 kHz and dolphins, which can communicate in ultrasound, at 160 kHz. The study was led by James Windmill of Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland, who says the moths may have evolved the capability as a defensive response to predatory bats, which employ ultrasound to communicate. Ultrasound waves degrade quickly when traveling through air, so a better understanding of how moths utilize the frequencies might help Windmill ‘s team and other scientists in the development of microacoustic devices such as miniature microphones.
© 2013 American Institute of Physics
