North American walnut sphinx moth caterpillars (Amorpha juglandis) look like easy meals for birds, but they have a trick up their sleeves—they produce whistles that sound like bird alarm calls, scaring potential predators away.
When pecked by a bird, the caterpillars whistle by compressing their
bodies like an accordion and forcing air out through specialized holes
in their sides. The whistles are impressively loud, considering they are
made by a two-inch long insect. They have been measured at over 80 dB
from 5 cm away from the caterpillar, similar to the loudness of a garbage disposal.
Further details at
The Scientist, with a hat tip to Kevin Thies.
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