Ultrasound-Induced Freezing Response in Moths

Coevolutionary adaptation leads to modifications of sensory physiology and behavioral responses of predators and prey. From the ecological point of view, insect hearing and acoustic behavior are an attractive study area for researchers in entomology, animal behavior, and neuroethology. Recent technical advances in sound-recording equipment and molecular techniques have contributed to understanding the evolution of acoustic communication, including sexual dialogue, intraspecific competition, and the interspecific arms race between predators (e.g., bats) and prey (e.g., moths). Singing male moths exploit ultrasound-induced freezing responses of potential female mates or unwelcome rival males to enhance mating success. Freezing responses to ultrasound by moths are originally an antipredator reaction to echolocating insectivorous bats. The aim of Chap. 5 is to provide a sensory-behavioral explanation of the freezing response of insects during predator–prey interaction.