Moths can hear and decode plant sound signals for reproductive decisions: New study reveals

A pioneering study led by researchers at Tel Aviv University has uncovered the world's first documented case of acoustic communication between plants and insects, revealing that female moths can hear and interpret ultrasonic distress signals emitted by stressed tomato plants to guide their egg-laying decisions.

Published in the journal eLife in 2025, this research shows that when tomato plants become dehydrated or stressed, they emit ultrasonic clicks—sounds beyond the range of human hearing but detectable by moths and other insects. These clicks signal the health status of the plant, and female moths use this auditory information to avoid laying eggs on plants signaling distress, which could jeopardize the survival of their larvae.

The research team, led by Rya Seltzer, Guy Zer Eshel, Yossi Yovel, and Lilach Hadany, conducted a series of controlled experiments to investigate this phenomenon. Female moths were presented with a choice between two tomato plants: one silent and healthy, and another emitting recorded ultrasonic distress sounds of a drying plant. The moths consistently preferred the silent, healthy plants for oviposition. This preference was confirmed to be guided to plants alone, as moths showed no similar avoidance when exposed to male moth courtship sounds in the same ultrasonic frequency range.


This discovery adds a novel dimension to the understanding of plant communication beyond chemical signals, introducing a new acoustic layer in the ecological interplay between plants and insects. Unlike other known plant signaling modalities, these ultrasonic clicks are likely incidental cues from internal plant stress rather than evolved signals intended for insect detection. However, such acoustic emissions may provide vital survival cues for moths in selecting optimal sites for their offspring.

The study also suggests broader ecological implications, pointing to the possibility that other insects and animals might similarly eavesdrop on plant sounds, influencing behaviors such as foraging, pollination, and habitat selection. This raises exciting questions about the potential for acoustic-based pest management strategies that leverage plants’ natural distress signals to protect crops in a sustainable and chemical-free manner.

Scientific experts involved in the study highlight that although humans cannot hear these ultrasonic plant sounds, many insects and some mammals, such as bats, can perceive and respond to them. The findings open a new frontier in bioacoustics, emphasizing an “invisible ecosystem” of interaction through sound that has thus far been overlooked.