Bats hunt in the dark by using echolocation, which involves giving off sounds and listening for the signal bouncing back off nearby prey. Some moths have ears and some don’t, but the ones that have are able to hear a bat’s calls and take evasive action.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have now discovered that the Barbastelle bat’s calls are up to 100 times quieter than those of other bats. Moths with ears can hear most bats 30m away, but the Barbastelle can get as close as 3.5m before being heard. This ‘whispering’ technique allows it to eat prey that only it can catch and avoid competition from other bats.