Tiger Moth Jams Bat Sonar

Review of a scientific article by:

 Amy Worth, Dimitri Lamisere, Idil 

Osman, Bianca St. Louis

Background and Rational

 • Bats use echolocation • Moths ultrasonic clicks 

     have previously been shown to alert bats and to startle  • Scientists hypothesize the moths jam bat sonar

however, evidence is lacking for this so called jamming

Hypotheses

Moth clicks function to: • Alert of warn 

o "warning of unprofitability" •  Startle

 • Sonar interference or jamming  

o diminishing a bats ability to determine the moths distance

o clicks may sound like an object that does not exist o Clicks may confuse bats  

Method

Used four batso 3 juvenile, 1 adult

16 tethered mothso with controls being moths with clicking disabled and

moths of other species that do not click  Placed in a flight room equipped with high speed infrared cameras and an ultrasonic microphone

Bats were given one minute or 5 attempts for each moth Experiment lasted nine nights  

Conclusion

Suggestions and further question

Use more bats and moths They could have tested more than 9 nights

Are there other species of bats that have the same reaction towards moths that can click ultrasonically?