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Southeast Asian clearwing moths buzz like their model bees.
Marta Skowron Volponi1,2, Luca Pietro Casacci3, Paolo Volponi4
1Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology and Insect Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245, Białystok, Poland. m.skowronvolponi@uwb.edu.pl.
Frontiers in Zoology
|July 7, 2021
Summary
Clearwing moths mimic bees acoustically, not just visually and behaviorally. This multimodal mimicry helps these harmless insects deceive predators by imitating the sounds of stinging insects.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Bioacoustics
Background:
- Harmless species evolve mimicry to evade predators.
- Batesian mimicry involves palatable species imitating noxious ones.
- Clearwing moths (Sesiidae) visually and behaviorally mimic bees/wasps.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate acoustic mimicry in Southeast Asian clearwing moths.
- Compare moth sounds to their bee models and control species.
Main Methods:
- Recorded buzzing sounds of two clearwing moth species (Heterosphecia pahangensis, H. hyaloptera).
- Compared moth sounds to a model bee (Tetragonilla collina) and two control bees.
- Analyzed eight acoustic parameters and wingbeat frequencies from slow-motion videos of free-flying insects.
Main Results:
- Clearwing moth buzzes closely matched the model bee's sound.
- Moth acoustics differed significantly from control bee species.
- Wingbeat frequencies also contributed to acoustic similarity.
Conclusions:
- Clearwing moths exhibit multimodal mimicry, incorporating acoustic imitation.
- This combined mimicry strengthens their deception of predators.
- Acoustic mimicry is a previously unexplored strategy in sesiids.
