Monday, 16 December 2019

Moths of Another Stripe

It has been reported that some species of Tiger moth do little by the way of making evasive changes in flight direction even when faced by predators such as insectivorous bats (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/16/bad-taste-in-the-moth-study-reveals-insects-chemical-defence). It appears that these 'lazy' species have actually developed a disgusting taste which makes them unattractive to the bats. Other moths, without this chemical defence, do show unpredictable changes in their flight pattern. The authors argue that the movement change type of defence might end with the moth flying into a spiders web or away from a potential mate. It could, of course, also be a form of kin selection such  as is seen in caterpillars of the Cinnabar moth. They are conspicuous and poisonous but feed on Ragwort in groups. It appears that, when a predator eats one, it benefits its kin (that share its genes) by providing a potent disincentive to eat any more.

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