Rapid Fire
Electroreception in Caterpillars
- 29 May 2024
- 1 min read
Recent research revealed that caterpillars can detect electric fields through setae on their bodies, an adaptation known as electroreception.
- This sensory ability is predominantly found in aquatic and amphibious species but has now been observed in these terrestrial insects.
- Electroreception enables caterpillars to sense approaching predators by detecting oscillating electric fields generated by the flapping wings of insects like wasps.
- This sensory ability may have evolved as an evolutionary response to intense predation, complementing other sensory defences caterpillars employ.
- Potential interference from "sensory pollution," such as electromagnetic frequencies from power cables, could disrupt this delicate sensing mechanism, posing a new challenge to their survival.
Read more: The Secret Lives of Insects
