New research suggests that animals may be responding to sounds emitted by plants, potentially revealing a previously unknown layer of ecological interaction.
In a groundbreaking study, scientists at Tel Aviv University discovered that female moths avoided laying their eggs on tomato plants emitting distress signals. These signals, inaudible to humans, were interpreted by the insects as signs the plants were unhealthy.
This builds on earlier work by the same research team, which in 2023 demonstrated that plants produce ultrasonic sounds when under stress—such as dehydration or physical damage.
First Recorded Evidence of Animals Responding to Plant Sounds
“This marks the first documented case of an animal reacting to sounds generated by a plant,” explained Professor Yossi Yovel, one of the lead researchers.
Although humans can’t hear the ultrasonic clicks, other organisms—including insects, bats, and certain mammals—can perceive them. The study raises intriguing possibilities about how animals might be using plant-generated sounds to guide decisions, from where to feed or pollinate, to where to avoid entirely.
The researchers ensured the moths were responding specifically to sound and not to visual cues from the plants. The experiments were carefully designed to isolate auditory stimuli, ruling out other factors.
Plants Communicating More Than We Realize?
The study, published in the journal eLife, opens up exciting questions. One is whether different plant species produce distinct sounds, and whether a wider range of animals rely on them to make behavioral decisions.
“This might just be the beginning,” said Prof Yovel. “There could be complex networks of communication between plants and animals, mediated entirely by sound.”
Another promising avenue of research, according to co-author Professor Lilach Hadany, is whether plants can detect and respond to each other’s sounds—perhaps adjusting their behavior during droughts or other stress conditions.
“If a plant is under stress, the organism most affected might actually be another plant nearby,” Prof Hadany noted. “And plants can react in various ways.”
Not Sentient, But Still Significant
While plants are not conscious or sentient, their ultrasonic emissions result from physical reactions to environmental stress. What this new study shows is that these sounds have practical uses for other living organisms—organisms that may have coevolved to interpret them.
Hadany explained that if these sounds offer a biological advantage, plants might evolve to emit them more frequently or at higher volumes, while animals may simultaneously evolve better ways to perceive them.
“This is a vast and largely unexplored area of biology,” she said. “There could be an entire world of acoustic interaction we’re only just beginning to understand.”
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