- Science
- Not Exactly Rocket Science
Ninja bat whispers to sneak up on moths
The night sky is the setting for an arms race that has been going on for millions of years: a conflict between bats and moths. Many bats can find their prey by giving off high-pitched squeaks and listening out for the echoes that return. This ability – echolocation – allows them to hunt night-flying insects like moths, which they skilfully pluck out of the air. But moths have developed countermeasures; some have evolved ears that allow them to hear the calls of a hunting bat and take evasive action. And bats, in turn, have adapted to overcome this defence.
Holger Goerlitz from the University of Bristol has found that the barbastelle bat is a stealth killer that specialises in