Skip to main content
Log in

Resonant wing systems in the Australian whistling moth Hecatesia (Agarasidae, Lepidoptera)

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

DARWIN1 described the sound made by the forewings of the nymphalid Ageronia feronia as a click of a spring catch on a toothed wheel. Descriptions of the sounds produced by the Agarasidae, which have similarly modified forewings, have repeatedly invoked the rubbing of either the antennae or foretibia on the ribbed forewing2,3. Nicholson4 suggested that the production of sound in the whistling moth Hecatesia was percussive, with the knobs of each forewing (castanets) striking each other at the top of the flight stroke. I have confirmed the existence of such a percussive system in two species of Hecatesia. Recordings of H. exultans Walker and H. thyridion Feisthamel from the coastal sand plain of Western Australia revealed two patterns of sound corresponding to the respective flight behaviour of the two species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Darwin, C. The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex (London, 1894).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Edwards, H. Insect Life 2, 11 (1889).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hampson, S. F. Proc. Zool. Soc., Lond. 188 (1892).

  4. Nicholson, A. R. Trans. R. ent. Soc. C, 20, 13 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bailey, W. J. Nature 215, 949–950 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bailey, W. J. J. exp. Biol. 52, 495–505 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bennet-Clark, H. C. J. exp. Biol. 52, 619–652 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BAILEY, W. Resonant wing systems in the Australian whistling moth Hecatesia (Agarasidae, Lepidoptera). Nature 272, 444–446 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/272444a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/272444a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation