The diminutive Greater wax moth, otherwise known as Galleria mellonella, may be the key to crafting the ultrasonic sound transmitters and receivers of the future, according to a team of researchers at the University of Strathclyde.
While the creature measures a mere 1 to 1 ¼-inch wingspan, it can hear sounds up to 300 kilohertz, which is a staggering 280 kHz higher than the average human at peak physical condition. Scientists believe that the moth's super-hearing developed as a reflex to locate predatory bats, which navigate through echolocation and communicate in ultrasound.
Study contributor James Windmill explains, "This is the animal with the highest frequency sensitivity yet recorded, there's no other animal that can hear at such a high frequency."
The researchers suggest that the moth's abilities likely evolved for the purpose of evasion.
"It is possible that [Greater wax moths] had to improve the communication between each other to avoid capture from their natural predator - the bat - which use similar sounds," adds Windmill.
As caterpillars, Galleria mellonella can be found primarily in North America, Asia, and Europe, where they feed on honeycombs within bee hives.
Co-author Hannah Moir admits that the limitations of modern technology may bar scientists from understanding pitches of sound that we cannot even comprehend yet.
"It could be that bats are producing higher frequencies than can be recorded," she notes (via New Scientist).
Looking forward Windmill was "extremely surprised to find that the moth is capable of hearing sound frequencies at this level and [his team hopes] to use the findings to better understand air-coupled ultrasound."
The study was conducted in the University's Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, and the results were published in the journal Biology Letters.