When they hear plants crying, moths make a decision

A new study suggests the insects rely on sounds made by distressed vegetation to guide reproductive choices

- GENNARO TOMMA

YOU MAY NOT want to sit next to a crying baby on an airplane. Apparently, moths feel the same way about plants.

When some plants are dehydrated or under some other form of stress, they cry a mournful melody made of ultrasonic clicks. Some moths are able to hear those clicks, and researchers now say they have discovered that the insects may interpret the sounds as a cue to choose on which plant to lay their eggs. The finding was described in a paper that was published online last month and has been submitted to the journal eLife.