Abstract

Overview

Predators and prey continuously exchange sensory information to survive and thrive in their environments. This study explores a unique aspect of these interactions—electroreception in air.

Findings

• Terrestrial animals accumulate electrostatic charges as they move through their environment.
• These charges allow prey animals to sense nearby predators through the electrical forces exerted at a distance.
• Specifically, predatory wasps emit electric fields due to their charges, and caterpillars react defensively to these fields.
• The caterpillar's mechanosensory setae are affected by electrostatic forces and respond to the wingbeat frequencies of their insect predators.

Conclusion

This ability of terrestrial animals to detect predators via electroreception likely represents a widespread adaptive feature, adding a critical dimension to the sensory ecology of predator-prey interactions.