Moths can hear stressed plants, avoid them as egg-laying sites
Turns out, moths can actually hear when tomato plants are stressed—and they steer clear.
In a Tel Aviv University study, female moths avoided laying eggs on tomato plants that gave off ultrasonic distress clicks (sounds humans can't hear, but moths can).
How the experiment was conducted
Researchers played recordings of both stressed and non-stressed tomato plants in the lab.
The result? Moths consistently chose the quiet, unstressed plants for egg-laying.
Visual clues didn't matter—moths relied on these hidden plant sounds to make their choice.
Imagine using plant sounds to keep pests away
The findings suggest insects might be tuning into plant "signals" way more than we thought.
This could change how we look at farming—imagine using plant sounds to keep pests away or attract helpful bugs.
It's a cool reminder that there's a lot going on between plants and animals that we're just starting to understand!