{"id":993,"date":"2026-07-30T21:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T12:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-07-30-hawkmoth-wing-smell-en\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T21:40:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T12:40:00","slug":"2026-07-30-hawkmoth-wing-smell-en","status":"publish","type":"briefing","link":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-07-30-hawkmoth-wing-smell-en\/","title":{"rendered":"A moth\u2019s wings can smell: they are not just for flying"},"content":{"rendered":"

2026-07-30 21:40 KST<\/strong><\/p>\n

A tobacco hawkmoth\u2019s wings are not just flight surfaces. Researchers recorded electrical responses when the wings encountered two volatile odours.<\/p>\n

The study does not yet show that wing smell changes where the moth lays eggs, and it does not establish the same ability in every moth species.<\/p>\n

Which smells did the wings detect?<\/h2>\n

The two chemicals were pyrrolidine and piperidine. Both are volatile amines, a class of compounds that can smell like rotting fish to people.<\/p>\n

These compounds are associated with characteristic alkaloids in nightshade plants. Tobacco hawkmoths often choose plants from this family for laying eggs.<\/p>\n

Is there really a nose on the wing edge?<\/h2>\n

Electron microscopy found an average of 21 to 32 sensory bristles along the margin of each wing. The bristles had tiny pores through which airborne molecules could enter.<\/p>\n

The same structures also showed features used for sensing touch and movement. A bristle may therefore monitor airflow while also sampling chemicals.<\/p>\n

\"Explanatory
ONEPRESS explanatory image: it visualizes sensory bristles and odour responses along a tobacco hawkmoth wing; it is not microscopy or a documentary observation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How was the response tested?<\/h2>\n

The team blew several odours across isolated wings and recorded their electrical activity. Of the tested candidates, only pyrrolidine and piperidine produced clear responses.<\/p>\n

The wing tissue also expressed genes used in taste and smell. Protein modelling then identified candidate receptors whose pockets could accommodate the two molecules.<\/p>\n

Why smell with wings when antennae exist?<\/h2>\n

The antennae remain the moth\u2019s main nose. The wings appear to be accessory sensors that collect extra information across a much larger body surface.<\/p>\n

Plant odours detected by a wing might help a moth assess its surroundings before landing or laying eggs. That behavioural role remains a hypothesis.<\/p>\n

What is confirmed, and what is not?<\/h2>\n

The pores, sensory genes and electrical responses to two odours are directly supported. The identity of the responsible receptor and a change in egg-laying choice have not been demonstrated.<\/p>\n

The experiments involved one species, Manduca sexta. Other moths and butterflies need to be tested before this can be treated as a general feature of wings.<\/p>\n

Official primary sources<\/h2>\n

Primary source: Journal of Experimental Biology original research<\/a><\/p>\n

Primary source: The Company of Biologists official research release<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tobacco hawkmoth wings produced electrical responses to two airborne chemicals, showing that they work as accessory smell organs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-993","briefing","type-briefing","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing\/993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/briefing"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}