August 2019 PMID 31378617

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey.

Inga Geipel, Jan Steckel, Marco Tschapka, Dieter Vanderelst, Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler, Elisabeth K V Kalko, Herbert Peremans, Ralph Simon

Mentions

72
Peak: 32 in Aug 2019
across 5 sources since Aug 2019

Extended reach

1,218,125
potential audience

Total likes

54,562

Video views

952,277

Mentions per month

Aug 2019 – Sep 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter39 posts
  • News21 articles
  • Blogs6 articles
  • YouTube4 videos
  • Bluesky2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The overall tone reflects strong interest and agreement, as seen in posts calling the study 'super interesting' and connecting it to related experiments. Words like 'very similar results,' 'super interesting,' and references to specific species and methodologies demonstrate active engagement and recognition of the research's importance within the scientific community.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions highlight enthusiasm and support for the findings, indicating strong agreement on the importance of this research.

InterestHigh interest

The posts show high enthusiasm and curiosity, with many calling the study 'super interesting' and noting its relevance to echolocation.

EngagementHigh engagement

Participants engage deeply by referencing related research, commenting on the methodology, and sharing examples like micromicetis approach angles.

ImpactModerate impact

While the discussions are positive, they mainly praise the study, suggesting a moderate impact in advancing understanding but not necessarily broad societal change.

Abstract in brief

  • Bats use leaves as natural mirrors (specular reflectors) to improve their echolocation, allowing them to detect silent and motionless prey hidden on foliage.
  • Through high-resolution echo recordings and behavioral experiments, researchers found that bats approach prey from specific angles that help them avoid confusing background echoes, effectively "picking out" prey using the leaves’ reflective properties.
  • This study reveals the sophisticated strategies and mechanisms bats use to overcome background noise, enhancing our understanding of predator-prey interactions and the evolution of echolocation in noisy environments.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Alex Richter-Boix
@BoixRichter · X

No te pierdas el espectacular vídeo a cámara lenta que incluye el artículo sobre el murciélago precipitándose sobre su presa. Aquí el enlace https://t.co/NIK4SgIxnk

Aug 2, 2019 · 31 likes · 4 shares · 51,813 followers View post →
Alex Richter-Boix
@BoixRichter · X

De esta manera son capaces de detectar si sobre la superficie de la hoja hay alguna presa. https://t.co/csb9jcNIeP

Aug 2, 2019 · 26 likes · 2 shares · 51,813 followers View post →
Francis Villatoro
@emulenews · X

En #NaukasRota @ConchiLillo nos comenta el reciente artículo “Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey” en Current Biology https://t.co/YdBOIaIEtv https://t.co/BShPRST1g2

Mar 19, 2022 · 8 likes · 3 shares · 45,118 followers View post →
Eran Amichai
@EAmichai · X

Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 3, 2019 · 7 likes · 5 shares · 880 followers View post →
Dr. Ralph Simon
@RalSimon · X

Super interesting study showing that movement and the flight trajectory towards a target is important to avoid masking echoes. Very similar results as we show for Micronycteris microtis in our 'specular reflector' paper https://t.co/8L7x4Znpco #activesensing #echolocation

Jan 19, 2020 · 7 likes · 3 shares · 540 followers View post →
Wouter Halfwerk
@WHalfwerk · X

Very nice story by our colleagues from STRI (@IngaGeipel) and lab mate Ralph Simon on how bats find motionless prey on leaves using sonar! Batsively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/LkFw0zoE1U

Aug 13, 2019 · 5 likes · 3 shares · 373 followers View post →

All mentions

CM Harrington
@octothorpe.mastodon.online.ap.brid.gy · Bluesky

Ze!!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTzJDZqU_aQ

Jul 30, 2025 View post →
Reme
@kaluapiscis · X

RT @emulenews: En #NaukasRota @ConchiLillo nos comenta el reciente artículo “Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acou…

Mar 19, 2022 · 3 shares · 13,845 followers View post →
Conchi Lillo
@ConchiLillo · X

RT @emulenews: En #NaukasRota @ConchiLillo nos comenta el reciente artículo “Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acou…

Mar 19, 2022 · 3 shares · 33,508 followers View post →
Sombradoble
@sombradoble · X

RT @emulenews: En #NaukasRota @ConchiLillo nos comenta el reciente artículo “Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acou…

Mar 19, 2022 · 3 shares · 11,804 followers View post →
Francis Villatoro
@emulenews · X

En #NaukasRota @ConchiLillo nos comenta el reciente artículo “Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey” en Current Biology https://t.co/YdBOIaIEtv https://t.co/BShPRST1g2

Mar 19, 2022 · 8 likes · 3 shares · 45,118 followers View post →
Animal Behavior Society
@AnimBehSociety · X

RT @RalSimon: Super interesting study showing that movement and the flight trajectory towards a target is important to avoid masking echoes…

Jan 19, 2020 · 3 shares · 13,003 followers View post →
Jan Steckel
@JaSteckel · X

RT @RalSimon: Super interesting study showing that movement and the flight trajectory towards a target is important to avoid masking echoes…

Jan 19, 2020 · 3 shares · 223 followers View post →
Animal Prattle
@animal_prattle · X

RT @RalSimon: Super interesting study showing that movement and the flight trajectory towards a target is important to avoid masking echoes…

Jan 19, 2020 · 3 shares · 1,570 followers View post →
Dr. Ralph Simon
@RalSimon · X

Super interesting study showing that movement and the flight trajectory towards a target is important to avoid masking echoes. Very similar results as we show for Micronycteris microtis in our 'specular reflector' paper https://t.co/8L7x4Znpco #activesensing #echolocation

Jan 19, 2020 · 7 likes · 3 shares · 540 followers View post →
Dr. Ralph Simon
@RalSimon · X

@YovelBatLab @SciReports Super interesting! The data perfectly matches with our data on Micronycteris microtis, they also approach from oblique angles to avoid masking echoes: https://t.co/8L7x4Znpco

Jan 19, 2020 · 1 like · 540 followers View post →
maz
@dynamicsoar · X

Approaching at an oblique angle enables bats to detect insects on the leaves.. interesting https://t.co/DozkML49tr

Aug 29, 2019 · 2,409 followers View post →
Rene van Dijk
@vandijkecology · X

RT @WHalfwerk: Very nice story by our colleagues from STRI (@IngaGeipel) and lab mate Ralph Simon on how bats find motionless prey on leave…

Aug 14, 2019 · 3 shares · 245 followers View post →
Jan Steckel
@JaSteckel · X

RT @WHalfwerk: Very nice story by our colleagues from STRI (@IngaGeipel) and lab mate Ralph Simon on how bats find motionless prey on leave…

Aug 13, 2019 · 3 shares · 223 followers View post →
Wouter Halfwerk
@WHalfwerk · X

Very nice story by our colleagues from STRI (@IngaGeipel) and lab mate Ralph Simon on how bats find motionless prey on leaves using sonar! Batsively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/LkFw0zoE1U

Aug 13, 2019 · 5 likes · 3 shares · 373 followers View post →
Bat Researcher - A.Prof. Aaron Irving
@BatResearch · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey. Curr Biol. 2019 Jul 19. pii: S0960-9822(19)30803- https://t.co/bE1kmeH54w #batpapers #camouflage #PlayingDeadDoesntWork #bats #acoustics

Aug 12, 2019 · 1 like · 1 share · 2,541 followers View post →
Klaus Riede
@KlausRiede · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/lzr2QtM0zQ

Aug 8, 2019 · 2 likes · 4,544 followers View post →
Klaus Riede
@KlausRiede · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/b6B4Prc0QA

Aug 8, 2019 · 1 like · 4,544 followers View post →
Baheerathan M
@BaheerathanM · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/L5VaBtJ9ZN

Aug 6, 2019 · 1 like · 1 share · 993 followers View post →
Bat_papers
@batpapers · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey. https://t.co/tVOr6UzyRq

Aug 6, 2019 · 3 likes · 1,254 followers View post →
Camilo A. Calderón Acevedo
@camiloandresAC · X

RT @EAmichai: Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 5, 2019 · 5 shares · 798 followers View post →
Daichi Funamoto
@DaichiFunamoto · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/6GpQFEXGK6

Aug 5, 2019 · 2 likes · 546 followers View post →
Attila D. Sandor
@adsandor · X

RT @EAmichai: Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 4, 2019 · 5 shares · 365 followers View post →
Lee Harten
@Lharten · X

RT @EAmichai: Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 4, 2019 · 5 shares · 790 followers View post →
Krizler Tanalgo
@tkrizler · X

RT @EAmichai: Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 4, 2019 · 5 shares · 1,002 followers View post →
Lizzie Platt
@HenlakeBats · X

https://t.co/kMOGJ3UelR

Aug 4, 2019 · 4,036 followers View post →
Sandra Penman
@shpenman · X

RT @EAmichai: Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 4, 2019 · 5 shares · 976 followers View post →
Eran Amichai
@EAmichai · X

Cool paper by @IngaGeipel showing how bats can overcome inherent limitations of echolocation https://t.co/OcAAnxuUIb

Aug 3, 2019 · 7 likes · 5 shares · 880 followers View post →
Arantza
@ArantzaMaira · X

RT @BoixRichter: No te pierdas el espectacular vídeo a cámara lenta que incluye el artículo sobre el murciélago precipitándose sobre su pre…

Aug 2, 2019 · 4 shares · 418 followers View post →
Andrius Pašukonis
@frog_tracker · X

RT @oliverlindecke: #Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/ItLIL9cGrA

Aug 2, 2019 · 2 shares · 872 followers View post →
Angel Cyborg
@Angel_CIBORG · X

RT @BoixRichter: De esta manera son capaces de detectar si sobre la superficie de la hoja hay alguna presa. https://t.co/csb9jcNIeP

Aug 2, 2019 · 2 shares · 841 followers View post →
AnonRere
@AnonRere · X

Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/IqOxie4FhW #biology #cell

Aug 2, 2019 · 2,224 followers View post →
mismo algarroba en bluski
@DrXaverius · X

RT @BoixRichter: De esta manera son capaces de detectar si sobre la superficie de la hoja hay alguna presa. https://t.co/csb9jcNIeP

Aug 2, 2019 · 2 shares · 2,952 followers View post →
Sandra Silva
@sandrasj181 · X

RT @BoixRichter: No te pierdas el espectacular vídeo a cámara lenta que incluye el artículo sobre el murciélago precipitándose sobre su pre…

Aug 2, 2019 · 4 shares · 61 followers View post →
The vOICe vision BCI
@seeingwithsound · X

On echolocation: Bats actively use leaves as specular reflectors to detect acoustically camouflaged prey https://t.co/Wy4mnY3GEv

Aug 2, 2019 · 3,732 followers View post →
The vOICe vision BCI
@seeingwithsound.bsky.social · Bluesky

On echolocation: Bats actively use leaves as specular reflectors to detect acoustically camouflaged prey https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30803-6

Aug 2, 2019 View post →
Ani Binet
@jerseybatani · X

RT @oliverlindecke: #Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/ItLIL9cGrA

Aug 2, 2019 · 2 shares · 278 followers View post →
tierrayagua
@TierrayaguaVeng · X

RT @BoixRichter: No te pierdas el espectacular vídeo a cámara lenta que incluye el artículo sobre el murciélago precipitándose sobre su pre…

Aug 2, 2019 · 4 shares · 2,704 followers View post →
Lucho Guevara
@Lucho_Guevara · X

RT @BoixRichter: No te pierdas el espectacular vídeo a cámara lenta que incluye el artículo sobre el murciélago precipitándose sobre su pre…

Aug 2, 2019 · 4 shares · 346 followers View post →
Alex Richter-Boix
@BoixRichter · X

De esta manera son capaces de detectar si sobre la superficie de la hoja hay alguna presa. https://t.co/csb9jcNIeP

Aug 2, 2019 · 26 likes · 2 shares · 51,813 followers View post →
Alex Richter-Boix
@BoixRichter · X

No te pierdas el espectacular vídeo a cámara lenta que incluye el artículo sobre el murciélago precipitándose sobre su presa. Aquí el enlace https://t.co/NIK4SgIxnk

Aug 2, 2019 · 31 likes · 4 shares · 51,813 followers View post →
Dr. Oliver Lindecke
@oliverlindecke · X

#Bats Actively Use Leaves as Specular Reflectors to Detect Acoustically Camouflaged Prey https://t.co/ItLIL9cGrA

Aug 2, 2019 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 932 followers View post →