Bugs That Rule the World

The Evolutionary Race Between Moths and Bats

In Sumacó, Ecuador, Entomologists Jesse Barber and Akito Kawahara study the centuries-long evolutionary arms race between moths and bats. Moths have had to develop a wide range of bizarre and clever defenses to combat the threat of bats, from emitting toxic smells to jamming bats’ echolocation sonar with their thorax, Kawahara and Barber describe this fascinating battle in the night sky.

The Evolutionary Race Between Moths and Bats

7m 55s

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.