Tiny Moth Has Greatest Hearing In The Animal Kingdom

Think you have good hearing? You're practically deaf compared to the aural prowess of the greater wax moth, which is capable of detecting sound frequencies up to 300 kHz - the highest of any animal in the natural world, according to a team at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland. 

Humans can only manage up 20 kHz, and we lose our range as we age. Dolphins, known for their ultrasonic abilities, max out around 160 kHz.

The researchers say the discovery of the moths extraordinary sensory characteristics may pave the way for new developments in sound technology like micro-scale acoustic systems such as miniature microphones, and better understand ultrasound and how to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses traveling through the air.

"We are extremely surprised to find that the moth is capable of hearing sound frequencies at this level and we hope to use the findings to better understand air-coupled ultrasound," said James Windmill, who led the research at Strathclyde.

"The use of ultrasound in air is extremely difficult as such high frequency signals are quickly weakened in air. Other animals such as bats are known to use ultrasound to communicate and now it is clear that moths are capable of even more advanced use of sound.

"It's not entirely clear how the moths have developed to be able to hear at such a high frequency, but it is possible that they have had to improve the communication between each other to avoid capture from their natural predator - the bat - which use similar sounds."

The greater wax moth is found throughout most of the world.