Researchers translate insect defense chemicals into eerie sounds

Sawfly larvae protect themselves by secreting cocktails of unpleasant, volatile chemicals intended to repel predators, particularly ants. Researchers can assess the effectiveness of these defenses by staging meetups, so-called bioassays, between prey and predator. But entomologist have taken a different approach, translating the secretions' chemical composition into sounds, and measuring how humans react.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210923115607.htm