Moths that Jam a Bat's Sonar (broadcast Friday, July 17th, 2009)

This tiger moth, Bertholdia trigona, is the first animal known to defend itself by jamming the sonar of its predator, bats. Photo courtesy of William Conner.

New research finds that one species of moth is capable of actively jamming the sonar used by moth-hunting bats. This biological equivalent of the 'electronic countermeasures' used by the military to jam radar and sonar signals is described in the journal Science. In the study, researchers used ultrasonic recording and high-speed infrared video to examine the relationship of bats and a tiger moth known as Bertholdia trigona. They found that sudden bursts of ultrasound emitted by the tiger moth appears to actually jam the bat's sonar, not just startle the bat or warn of a bad-tasting moth. We'll find out more.