Moths Eavesdrop on Plants' Ultrasonic Warnings, Shaping Plant-Insect Interactions
Insects Tune Into Plants' Ultrasonic Warnings
A groundbreaking study reveals that female moths, like the Egyptian cotton leafworm, eavesdrop on plants' ultrasonic chatter before laying eggs. Stressed tomato plants emit high-frequency clicks around 50 kHz when dehydrated, signals within moths' hearing range. These insects avoid noisy, distressed plants, opting for silent, healthy ones to ensure better survival for their offspring.[1][2][3]
Key Experiments Uncover Acoustic Decision-Making
Researchers at Tel Aviv University tested moths with playback speakers mimicking drying plant sounds. Without visible plants, moths preferred the noisy side, associating clicks with life. But with real plants present—one silent and healthy, the other stressed with sounds—females chose quiet hosts. Disabling moth hearing eliminated preferences, proving reliance on acoustics over scent or sight alone.[3][4][5]
Implications for Plant-Insect Interactions
This discovery expands sensory cues in nature, showing moths integrate sound with smell for precise choices. Ultrasonic emissions, airborne from meters away, may influence pollinators or predators too, reshaping views on silent ecosystems. Future research could explore broader animal responses, enhancing pest control strategies.[2][4]
About the Organizations Mentioned
Tel Aviv University
**Tel Aviv University (TAU)** is Israel's largest research university, delivering comprehensive higher education and cutting-edge innovation across nine faculties, 125 schools, and departments in sciences, humanities, arts, business, and technology.[1][2][3] Founded in 1956 through the merger of three institutes—the Tel Aviv School of Law and Economics (1935), Institute of Natural Sciences (1931), and Academic Institute of Jewish Studies (1954)—TAU gained autonomy in 1963 under first president George S. Wise.[1][3] Its Ramat Aviv campus, dedicated in 1964 on 220 acres, expanded from an initial 170-acre site, hosting 3,174 students by then and growing to over **30,000 today**, including 14,000 master's and doctoral candidates.[1][2][3][4] By the 1970s, TAU achieved international recognition for scientific breakthroughs, bolstered by the International Board of Governors formed in 1967 to secure funding from academic and business leaders.[1] TAU excels in research with **130 institutes, 400 labs, and 3,500 annual projects**, ranking **75th globally** and first in Israel for publications in top journals.[2] It holds top-10 status for alumni founding **unicorn startups** (valued at $1B+), 8th worldwide per Sage 2017, with successes like Xtend, Cyberpion, and NeuraLegion raising over $100M.[2][3] Citation impact shines: 22nd globally per faculty (QS 2016), 26th (QS 2017), and strong in computer science (20th, ARWU 2015).[2][3] Faculty accolades include **76 Israel Prize winners**, such as Prof. Irad Malkin's 2014 history award.[5] Rankings affirm stature: top 150-200 (Shanghai), 18
