miraculous results by investigating moths' central nervous systems.
Their aim was to decipher the code of the perceptions linking the
moth's central nervous system to the ear and to discover how moths are
able to escape from bats.
As a result of this research it was learned that thanks to a special
system in their ears, moths have broken through the bat's hunting
system. Messages concerning the bat are sent from the moth's ear to
the central nervous system by means of just two fibers. This system,
which gives the impression of having a very simple structure, actually
possesses a perfect creation that allows the moth to detect ultrasonic
frequencies.
The Early Warning System in the Ears
As they fly at night, insect-hunting bats emit a series of
high-frequency cries. This enables them to locate their prey by
determining the direction and distance of the source of the resulting
echoes. This radar is so sensitive that it enables bats to locate and
catch insects even smaller than mosquitoes. The bat is a highly
successful hunter, but some species of nocturnal moth, members of the
families Noctuidae, Geometridae and Arctiidae, have ears capable of
hearing bats' ultrasonic cries. These ears are located under the
moths' wings and function like an early warning system. This saves
them from falling prey to bats.
When they hear a bat approaching, the moths make sharp dives or
complicated loops different to their usual flight patterns. They
sometimes fly in the exact opposite direction to the high-frequency
sounds emitted at maximum velocity by the bat. Asher E. Treat from New
York University observed that moths moving in a different direction to
that of the bats' approach had a higher likelihood of survival than
others.
The moth ear can detect ultrasonic bat cries imperceptible to us from
a distance of 3,200 meters (1,988 miles) away. In addition, it can
detect bat cry frequencies ranging from 10 to 100 kilocycles a second.
Its greatest ability is to detect sound bursts, in other words, short
explosions of sound punctuated by silence, and to distinguish between
sound collision heights. These bestow a great advantage on the moth in
its war against the bat.
Obtaining the Enemy's Battle Plans
It is of course of great importance for one of two warring countries
to lay hands on the other's battle plans. Knowing the characteristics
of the weapons that will be used and the tactics the enemy will employ
in his attack is information that will make victory much easier. The
victory of moths over bats happens thanks to moths being aware of all
the offensive tactics used by the latter. This is of course a
consequence of the flawless structure in moths' creation. As the moth
detects the sound of the bat, there are a number of alternative
possibilities regarding what might ensue. However, the one that most
serves the moth's needs is what actually takes place, and the moth
duly escapes the bat. Let us now emphasize the importance of the
moth's achievement by examining these possibilities:
If the moth's sound perception range were narrower than that of the
bat, its ears would be unable to protect it from the predator. In such
an event, even if the moth were to be aware of the bat and attempt to
escape from it, the bat would nevertheless detect it and, since it
flies faster than the moth, would eventually catch it. Another
possibility is that the moth might perceive a bat very close to it as
actually being some distance away, or it might misinterpret the
direction of the sound emitted by the bat and fly right into it.
However, of all these possibilities, the best one for the moth
actually transpires, and it escapes falling prey to the bat.
In verse 52 of Surat al-Ahzab we are told that "Allah is watchful over
all things". Like all the living things on Earth, moths also survive
thanks to the perfect systems created in their bodies by Almighty
Allah (God) and to their being inspired with the knowledge of how to
use them. Again under the inspiration of Almighty Allah they behave in
a perfect manner and make the correct choices. This flawless system in
moths is just one of our Lord's countless proofs of Creation.
The Immaculate Hearing System in Moths
Just as it was provided in the book Animal Engineering, based on
articles published in the magazine Scientific American, there is a
flawlessly complex system in moths' bodies.
Ears of moths are placed in the rear sides of moths' chest. The
hearing organ is placed in a passage, which divides the chest and
abdomen of the moth. For an outsider, the ears may resemble two
cavities. In each cavity, there is a transparent tympanic membrane.
As we shall be seeing in detail, all the details in the moth ear are
of such a kind as to allow it to hear better and analyze the cries of
the bat.
In that section of the passage known as the middle ear there is an air
sac immediately behind the tympanic membrane. This sac is filled with
a fine line of tissue extending right along its length. This tissue
contains the components of the moth's hearing system and extends from
the middle of the membrane up to the skeleton support. There are two
cells, known as "A" cells, on this line. All the information regarding
the high-frequency sounds detected by the moth is forwarded by these A
fibers, known as A1 and A2, to the central nervous system.
The electrical impulses in the nerve fibers are just one to two
thousandths of a volt in strength. The signals in the moth's A fibers
reach the central nervous system from the sense cells in less than two
thousandths of a second.
These nerves have the capacity to detect the sounds emitted by bats.
They are also very sensitive when it comes to identifying their
wavelengths and alterations therein. Thanks to all these properties of
the fibers, the moth is able to distinguish between the long and weak
cry of a distant moth and the strong cries of one approaching to kill
it.
The Moth's Support Systems
The fact that the moth has two ears allows it to determine the
direction of the source of the sound. If the bat is to the left of the
moth, sound waves coming from the right are perceived around one
thousandth of a second later than those on the left. This difference
between the two ears is sufficient for the moth to determine the
direction of the source of the sound.
The astonishing features in the moth's ears are by no means limited to
these. Some moths' ears have a cover consisting of a membrane-like
structure. This serves just like our external ears, contributing to
the strengthening of hearing capacity by gathering up sounds.
In addition to all this, some moths go even further than detecting
ultrasonic sounds; they are also able to emit them. Rather than flee
when they detect a bat, these moths give off ultrasonic noises. This
is an astonishing state of affairs, because bats are literally masters
of ultrasonic sound detection. Yet contrary to what is imagined, bats
prefer to move off when they encounter such moths. Scientists think
there may be two reasons for this behavior:
1- The sound emitted by the moth impairs the bat's detection system.
2- Sound-emitting moths taste unpleasant to bats. When the bat
perceives this sound it thinks it will encounter unpleasant tasting
prey.
MOTHS ARE JUST ONE OF THE PROOFS OF CREATION THAT INVALIDATE THE
THEORY OF EVOLUTION
When all the information provided so far is examined, evident
consciousness can be seen in the way moths behave, and the flawless
creation in their bodies also draws one's attention. The moth's
perception of ultrasonic waves, its ability to interpret them, and its
emission of counter-waves are all features requiring their own
separate designs.
The amazing creations in moths are just one of the countless proofs
showing the flawless manner in which Allah (God) has created living
things. The creation in living things clearly proves that living
things did not emerge by chance, as evolutionists maintain, but that
they were brought into being with a sublime creation. There is no
doubt that it is Almighty Allah (God) Who creates all things, living
or inanimate, in the most perfect manner. Our Lord's infinite might
and the height of His glory are revealed thus in verses:
Everyone in the heavens and earth belongs to Him. All are submissive
to Him. It is He Who originated creation and then regenerates it. That
is very easy for Him. His is the most exalted designation in the
heavens and the Earth. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Surat
ar-Rum, 26-27)
It is the most important priority for an animal to realize its enemy
in order to survive. To achieve this, it has to know its enemy very
well. Some species of moth are advantageous on this. Because they are
capable of hearing and distinguishing the high frequency sounds,
emitted by their greatest enemies, the bats.
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