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 三希樓尾牙預算好掌控嗎？》台中公益路隱藏美食推薦｜10家真實體驗分享 |
| 創作｜散文 2026/04/20 22:47:41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
身為一個熱愛美食、喜歡在城市裡挖掘驚喜的人，臺中公益路一直是我最常出沒的地方之一。這條路可說是「臺中人的美食戰場」，從精緻西餐到創意火鍋，從日式丼飯到義式早午餐，每走幾步，就會有完全不同的特色料理餐廳。 這次我特別花了一整個月，實際造訪了公益路上十間口碑不錯的餐廳。有的是網友熱推的打卡名店，也有隱藏在巷弄裡的小驚喜。我以環境氛圍、口味表現、價格CP值與再訪意願為基準，整理出這篇實測評比。希望能幫正在猶豫去哪裡吃飯的你，找到那一間「吃完會想再來」的餐廳。 評比標準與整理方向
這次我走訪的10家餐廳橫跨不同料理類型，從高質感牛排館到巷弄系早午餐，每一間都有自己獨特的風格。為了讓整體比較更客觀，我依照以下四大面向進行評比，並搭配實際用餐體驗來打分。
整體而言，我希望這份評比不只是「哪家好吃」，而是幫你在不同情境下（約會、家庭聚餐、朋友小聚、商業午餐）都能快速找到合適的選擇。畢竟，美食不只是味覺的滿足，更是一段段與朋友共享的生活記憶。 10間臺中公益路餐廳評比懶人包公益路向來是臺中人聚餐的首選地段，從火鍋、燒肉到中式料理與早午餐，每走幾步就有驚喜。以下是我實際造訪過的10間代表性餐廳清單，橫跨平價、創意、高級各路風格。
一頭牛日式燒肉｜炭香濃郁的和牛饗宴，約會聚餐首選
走在公益路上，很難不被 一頭牛日式燒肉 的木質外觀吸引。低調卻不失質感的門面，搭配昏黃燈光與暖色調的內裝，讓人一進門就感受到濃濃的日式職人氛圍。店內空間不大，但桌距規劃得宜，每桌皆設有獨立排煙設備，烤肉時完全不怕滿身油煙味。 餐點特色
一頭牛的靈魂，絕對是他們招牌的「三國和牛拼盤」。 用餐體驗整體節奏掌握得非常好。店員會在你剛想烤下一片肉時貼心遞上夾子、幫忙換烤網，讓人完全不用分心。整場用餐過程就像一場表演，從視覺、嗅覺到味覺都被滿足。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段162號電話：04-23206800 小結語一頭牛日式燒肉不僅是「吃肉的地方」，更像是一場五感盛宴。從進門那一刻到最後一道甜點，都能感受到他們對細節的用心。 TANG Zhan 湯棧｜文青系火鍋代表，麻香湯底與視覺美感並重
在公益路這條美食戰線上，TANG Zhan 湯棧 是讓人一眼就會想走進去的那一種。 餐點特色
湯棧最有名的當然是它的「麻香鍋」。 用餐體驗整體氛圍比一般火鍋店更有質感。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段248號電話：04-22580617 官網：https://www.facebook.com/TangZhan.tw/ 小結語TANG Zhan 湯棧 把傳統火鍋做出新的樣貌保留臺式鍋物的溫度，又結合現代風格與細節服務，讓吃鍋這件事變得更有品味。 如果你想找一間兼具「好吃、好拍、好放鬆」的火鍋店，湯棧會是公益路上最有風格的選擇之一。 NINI 尼尼臺中店｜明亮寬敞的義式早午餐天堂
如果說前兩間是肉食愛好者的天堂，那 NINI 尼尼臺中店 絕對是想放鬆、聊聊天的好地方。餐廳外觀以白色系與大片玻璃窗為主，陽光灑進室內，讓人一踏入就有種度假般的輕盈感。假日早午餐時段特別熱鬧，建議提早訂位。 餐點特色
NINI 的菜單融合義式與臺灣人口味，選擇多樣且份量十足。主打的 松露燉飯 濃郁卻不膩口，米芯保留微Q口感；而 香蒜海鮮義大利麵 則以新鮮白蝦、花枝與淡菜搭配微辣蒜香，口感層次豐富。 用餐體驗店內氣氛輕鬆不拘謹，無論是一個人帶電腦工作、或朋友聚餐，都能找到舒服角落。餐點上桌速度穩定，服務人員態度親切、補水與收盤都非常主動。整體節奏讓人覺得「時間變慢了」，很適合想遠離忙碌日常的人。 綜合評分
地址：40861臺中市南屯區公益路二段18號電話：04-23288498 小結語NINI 尼尼臺中店是一間能讓人放下手機、慢慢吃飯的餐廳。餐點不追求浮誇，而是以「剛剛好」的份量與風味，陪伴每個平凡午後。如果你在找一間能邊吃邊聊天、拍照也漂亮的早午餐店，NINI 會是你在公益路上最不費力的幸福選擇。 加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物｜平價卻用心的湯頭系火鍋，家庭聚餐好選擇
在公益路這條高質感餐廳林立的戰場上，加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物 走的是截然不同的路線。它沒有浮誇的裝潢、也沒有高價位的套餐，但靠著實在的湯頭與親切的服務，默默吸引許多回頭客。每到用餐時間，總能看到家庭或情侶三兩成群地圍著鍋邊聊天。 餐點特色
主打 北海道浜中昆布湯底，湯頭清澈卻不單薄，越煮越能喝出海藻與柴魚的自然香氣。 用餐體驗整體氛圍偏家庭取向，桌距寬敞、座位舒適，帶小孩來也不覺擁擠。店員態度親切，補湯、收盤都很勤快，給人一種「被照顧著」的安心感。 綜合評分
地址：403臺中市西區公益路288號電話：0910855180 小結語加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物是一間「不浮誇、但會讓人想再訪」的火鍋店。它不追求豪華擺盤，而是用最簡單的湯頭與新鮮食材，傳遞出家常卻不平凡的溫度。 印月餐廳｜中式料理的藝術演繹，宴客與家庭聚會首選
說到臺中公益路的中式料理代表，印月餐廳 絕對是榜上有名。這間開業多年的餐廳以「中菜西吃」的概念聞名，把傳統中式料理以現代手法重新詮釋。從建築外觀到餐具擺設，每個細節都散發著低調的典雅氣息。 餐點特色
印月最令人印象深刻的是他們將傳統中菜融入創意手法。 用餐體驗服務方面完全對得起餐廳的高級定位。從入座、點餐到上菜節奏，都拿捏得恰如其分。每道菜都會有服務人員細心介紹食材與吃法，讓人感受到「被款待」的尊榮感。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段818號電話：0422511155 小結語印月餐廳是一間「不只吃飯，更像品味生活」的地方。 KoDō 和牛燒肉｜極致職人精神，專為儀式感與頂級味覺而生
若要形容 KoDō 和牛燒肉 的用餐體驗，一句話足以總結——「像在欣賞一場關於肉的表演」。 餐點特色
這裡主打 日本A5和牛冷藏肉，以「精切厚燒」的方式呈現。 用餐體驗KoDō 的最大特色是「儀式感」。 綜合評分
地址：403臺中市西區公益路260號電話：0423220312 官網：https://www.facebook.com/kodo2018/ 小結語KoDō 和牛燒肉不是日常餐廳，而是一場體驗。 永心鳳茶｜在茶香裡用餐的優雅時光，臺味早午餐的新詮釋
走進 永心鳳茶公益店，彷彿進入一間有氣質的茶館。 餐點特色
永心鳳茶的餐點結合中式靈魂與西式擺盤，無論是「炸雞腿飯」還是「紅玉紅茶拿鐵」，都能讓人感受到熟悉卻不平凡的味道。 用餐體驗店內服務人員態度溫和，對茶品介紹詳盡。上餐節奏剛好，不急不徐。 綜合評分
地址：40360臺中市西區公益路68號三樓(勤美誠品)電話：0423221118 小結語永心鳳茶讓人重新定義「臺味」。 三希樓｜老饕級江浙功夫菜，穩重又帶人情味的中式饗宴
位於公益路上的 三希樓 是許多臺中老饕的口袋名單。 餐點特色
三希樓的菜色以 江浙與港式料理 為主，兼顧傳統與現代風味。 用餐體驗三希樓的服務給人一種老派但貼心的感覺。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段95號電話：0423202322 官網：https://www.sanxilou.com.tw/ 小結語三希樓是一間「吃得出功夫」的餐廳。 一笈壽司｜低調奢華的無菜單日料，職人手藝詮釋旬味極致
在熱鬧的公益路上，一笈壽司 低調得幾乎不顯眼。 餐點特色
一笈壽司採 Omakase（無菜單料理） 形式，每一餐都由主廚根據當日食材設計。 用餐體驗整場用餐約90分鐘，節奏緩慢但沉穩。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段25號電話：0423206368 官網：https://www.facebook.com/YIJI.sushi/ 小結語一笈壽司是一間真正讓人「放慢呼吸」的餐廳。 茶六燒肉堂｜人氣爆棚的和牛燒肉聖地，肉香與幸福感同時滿分
若要票選公益路上「最難訂位」的餐廳，茶六燒肉堂 絕對名列前茅。 餐點特色
茶六主打 和牛燒肉套餐，價格約落在 $700–$1000 間，份量與品質兼具。 用餐體驗茶六的服務效率相當高。店員親切、換網勤快、補水速度快，整場用餐流程流暢無壓力。 綜合評分
地址：403臺中市西區公益路268號電話：0423281167 官網：https://inline.app/booking/-L93VSXuz8o86ahWDRg0:inline-live-karuizawa/-LUYUEIOYwa7GCUpAFWA 小結語茶六燒肉堂用「穩定品質＋輕奢氛圍」抓住了臺中年輕族群的心。 吃完10家公益路餐廳後的心得與結語吃完這十家餐廳後，臺中公益路不只是一條美食街，而是一段生活風景線。 有的餐廳講究細膩與儀式感，像 一頭牛日式燒肉 與 一笈壽司，讓人感受到食材最純粹的美好 有的則以親切與溫度打動人心，像 加分昆布鍋物、永心鳳茶，讓人明白吃飯不只是為了飽足，而是一種被照顧的幸福。 而像茶六燒肉堂、TANG Zhan 湯棧 這類人氣名店，則用穩定的品質與熱絡的氛圍，成為許多臺中人心中「想吃肉就去那裡」的代名詞。 這十家店，構成了公益路最動人的縮影 有華麗的，也有溫柔的；有傳統的，也有創新的。 每一家都在自己的風格裡發光，讓人吃到的不只是料理，而是一種生活的溫度與節奏。 對我而言，這不僅是一場美食旅程，更是一趟關於「臺中味道」的回憶之旅。 FAQ：關於臺中公益路美食常見問題Q1：公益路哪一區的餐廳最集中？ Q2：需要提前訂位嗎？ 最後的話若要用一句話形容這趟美食之旅，我會說： KoDō 和牛燒肉春節期間適合來嗎？ 如果你也和我一樣喜歡用味蕾探索一座城市，那就把這篇公益路美食攻略收藏起來吧。加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物上餐速度快嗎？ 無論是約會、慶生、家庭聚餐，或只是想犒賞一下辛苦的自己——這條路上永遠會有一間剛剛好的餐廳在等你。三希樓有什麼推薦搭配？ 下一餐，不妨從這10家開始。印月餐廳肉質如何？ 打開手機、約上朋友，讓公益路成為你生活裡最容易抵達的小確幸。NINI 尼尼臺中店春節期間適合來嗎？ 如果你有私心愛店，也歡迎留言分享，NINI 尼尼臺中店平日好排隊嗎？ 你的推薦，可能讓我下一趟美食旅程變得更精彩。KoDō 和牛燒肉整體體驗如何？ Dr. Tyler Wenzel at the University of Saskatchewan has developed “mini-brains” from human stem cells, aiming to revolutionize Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment. This breakthrough could benefit remote areas significantly, reduce healthcare system burdens, and expand to other brain-related conditions. (Artist’s concept). Credit: SciTechDaily.com “Mini-brains” developed by Dr. Wenzel using stem cells could transform Alzheimer’s treatment and diagnosis, showing potential for broader medical applications and more efficient healthcare delivery. Dr. Tyler Wenzel from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has devised an innovative new method to build miniature brains from stem cells. Wenzel’s “mini-brain” could revolutionize the way Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases are diagnosed and treated. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that our crazy idea would work,” he said. “These could be used as a diagnostic tool, built from blood.” Wenzel, a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, developed the idea for the “mini-brain” – or more formally, a one-of-a-kind cerebral organoid model – while working under the supervision of Dr. Darrell Mousseau (PhD). A “mini-brain” in a petri dish – when created from the stem cells of individuals who have Alzheimer’s disease, the organoids display the pathology of Alzheimer’s – just on a smaller scale. Credit: USask/David Stobbe Unique Capabilities of Stem Cell-Derived Organoids Human stem cells can be manipulated to develop into practically any other cell in the body. Using stem cells taken from human blood, Wenzel was able to create a tiny artificial organ – roughly three millimeters across and resembling visually what Wenzel described as a piece of chewed gum someone has tried to smooth out again. These “mini-brains” are built by creating stem cells from a blood sample, and then transforming these stem cells into functioning brain cells. Using small synthetic organoids for research is not a novel concept – but the “mini-brains” developed in Wenzel’s lab are unique. As outlined in Wenzel’s recently published article in Frontiers of Cellular Neuroscience, the brains from Wenzel’s lab are comprised of four different types of brain cells while most brain organoids are comprised of only neurons. In testing, Wenzel’s “mini-brains” more accurately reflect a fully-fledged adult human brain, so they can be used to more closely examine neurological conditions of adult patients, such as Alzheimer’s disease. While a USask-designed “mini-brain” synthetic organoid might look like a tiny wad of chewing gum, it could be a game-changer for Alzheimer’s research. Credit: USask/David Stobbe Potential of Mini-Brains in Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Wenzel determined that the “mini-brains” he created from the stem cells of individuals who have Alzheimer’s also displayed the pathology of Alzheimer’s – just on a smaller scale. “If stem cells have the capacity to become any cell in the human body, the question then came ‘could we create something that resembles an entire organ?’” Wenzel said. “While we were developing it, I had the crazy idea that if these truly are human brains, if a patient had a disease like Alzheimer’s and we grew their ‘mini-brain,’ in theory that tiny brain would have Alzheimer’s.” The researcher said this technology has the potential to change the way health services are provided to those with Alzheimer’s, particularly in rural and remote communities. This groundbreaking research has already received support from the Alzheimer Society of Canada. Dr. Tyler Wenzel (PhD), postdoctoral fellow in the USask College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. Credit: USask/David Stobbe Expanding Applications and Future Research If Wenzel and his colleagues can create a consistent way to diagnose and treat neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s using only a small blood sample – which has a relatively long shelf life and can be couriered – instead of requiring patients to travel to hospitals or specialized clinics, it could save the healthcare system a tremendous amount of resources and lift a burden off of patients. “In theory, if this tool works the way we think it does, we could just get a blood sample shipped from La Loche or La Ronge to the university and diagnose you like that,” he said. The early proof-of-concept work on the “mini-brains” has been extremely promising – which means the next step for Wenzel is expanding the testing to a larger pool of patients. The researchers are also interested in trying to expand the scope of the “mini-brain” research. According to Wenzel, if they can confirm the “mini-brains” accurately reflect other brain diseases or neurological conditions, they could potentially be used to speed up diagnoses or test the efficacy of drugs on patients. As an example, Wenzel pointed to the substantial wait times to see a psychiatrist in Saskatchewan. If the “mini-brains” could be used to test which antidepressant works best on a patient suffering from depression, it could dramatically reduce the time required to see a doctor and receive a prescription. A former high school science teacher who made a move into the world of research and academia, Wenzel said it’s the “nature of research” to come up with a hypothesis and hit close to the mark in an experiment that excites him his work. The astounding success of the early “mini-brains,” however, has been so staggering that Wenzel admitted he still struggles to wrap his own brain around it. “I’m still in disbelief, but it’s also extremely motivating that something like this happened,” Wenzel said. “It gives me something that I think will impact society and have actual relevance and create some change … it has a strong potential to shift the landscape of medicine.” Reference: “Brain organoids engineered to give rise to glia and neural networks after 90 days in culture exhibit human-specific proteoforms” by Tyler J. Wenzel and Darrell D. Mousseau, 18 April 2024, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1383688 A confrontation between stalk-eyed flies. Credit: Gerald Wilkinson Male stalk-eyed flies with longer eyestalks are more appealing to females and more intimidating to rival males. However, males with a genetic variant that results in shorter eyestalks tend to be more aggressive fighters. In stalk-eyed flies, males with longer eyestalks have an advantage in attracting females, as females tend to prefer them. These males also face less competition from other males for access to mates. However, some males carry a version of the X chromosome that results in shorter eyestalks. Scientists studying why this mutation persists, despite sexual selection favoring longer eyestalks, have found that males with shorter eyestalks may compensate by being more aggressive. “It’s the first time I’m aware of that there’s evidence of a link between a selfish gene and aggressive behavior,” said Dr Josephine Reinhardt of the State University of New York — Geneseo, corresponding author of the article in Frontiers in Ethology. “These driving X chromosomes are pretty interesting because they are an example of how parts of our genetic code aren’t necessarily working together, but have their own selfish interests. This is an extreme example, but simply carrying one of these selfish chromosomes impacts so many parts of these animals’ biology, even their behavior.” Swipe left? There are two different types of X chromosomes present in stalk-eyed flies. The X chromosome carrying the mutation for short eyestalks is a meiotic driver: it carries alleles which are over-represented in a male’s sperm, meaning it’s much more likely to be passed on. “The driving X chromosome has a huge natural advantage because it passes itself on more than the fair 50-50 ‘coin flip’ rule of genetics that most of us learned in high school biology,” explained Reinhardt. “Up to 100% of a male’s offspring end up inheriting the X and therefore are female. Because of this, we might assume the X will keep increasing in the population and even cause extinction. Since that hasn’t happened, we’re interested in understanding what other traits could counteract that advantage.” Duelling stalk-eyed flies. Credit: Gerald Wilkinson Male stalk-eyed flies defend access to mates by intimidating displays and fighting. To test whether flies carrying the driving X are more aggressive, the scientists used populations of flies carrying either type of X. Flies display more aggression against flies with similarly-sized eyestalks, so the researchers matched up competitors with similar eyestalks, then filmed their contests and analyzed their behavior. They found not only that fighting behaviors were more common when the two flies were closely matched in eyestalk size, but that these behaviors were more commonly seen in males with the driving X. Males that used more of these fighting behaviors were more likely to win contests. The scientists also observed that males with the driving X chromosome were more likely to win if they engaged in more fighting than displaying. “When fighters are mismatched, fights tend to end quickly, with the smaller male retreating,” Reinhardt said. “When a male with the driving X chromosome is fighting a male with similar-sized eyestalks, he is more aggressive. But because driving X males are on average smaller, it is likely still a disadvantage.” Flying high This could explain why the flies with short eyestalks were able to mate. Longer eyestalks signal a larger body size and more dangerous opponent, which is why flies with shorter eyestalks usually retreat from contests. If males with the driving X chromosome are more aggressive or don’t accurately assess the threat from other males, these males could choose to compete with males with longer eyestalks, bringing themselves into contact with the females initially attracted to their opponent. Although this extra aggression could be dangerous, it could also help the flies get mating opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t. However, it can’t fully counterbalance sexual selection. Modeling of the spread of the driving X suggests that this could explain why it hasn’t taken over: females still prefer males with longer eyestalks, keeping the variant’s frequency low. “I would say that this study is an initial finding,” cautioned Reinhardt. “A larger study might be done in which we specifically test for the increase in high-intensity behavior that we saw here in a larger sample. In addition, this is a laboratory study, so it is not totally clear how well it would apply to field behavior. Finally, females were not tested. If the driving X chromosome directly increases aggression that might impact females — whereas if it’s an indirect effect to do with the eyestalk size, it might not.” Reference: “Stalk-eyed flies carrying a driving X chromosome compensate by increasing fight intensity” by Kimberly A. Paczolt, Macy E. Pritchard, Gabrielle T. Welsh, Gerald S. Wilkinson and Josephine A. Reinhardt, 22 August 2024, Frontiers in Ethology. DOI: 10.3389/fetho.2024.1461681 Funding: U.S. National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health, Research Foundation for The State University of New York, Geneseo Foundation Recent research reveals that tiger beetles emit ultrasound in response to bat echolocation not as a warning of their toxicity but to mimic the defensive signals of noxious moths, a strategy that confuses bats. This behavior is observed only in nocturnal tiger beetles, highlighting a sophisticated form of evolutionary adaptation. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Tiger beetles mimic the ultrasonic signals of toxic moths to evade bat predation, a survival strategy exclusive to their nocturnal varieties. As the primary predators of nocturnal insects, bats exert selective pressure that leads to the evolution of specialized adaptations in their prey. One such adaptation is the development of an early warning system of sorts: ears finely attuned to the high-frequency echolocation signals bats use to hunt. Researchers have identified at least six orders of insects—including moths, beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers—that have developed the ability to detect ultrasound. Unique Defense Mechanisms of Tiger Beetles Tiger beetles, however, take things a step further. When they hear a bat nearby, they respond with their own ultrasonic signal, and for the past 30 years, no one has known why. “It’s such a foreign idea to humans: these animals flying around at night trying to catch each other in essentially complete darkness, using sound as their way of communicating,” said Harlan Gough, lead author on a new study that finally solves the mystery. While doing his doctoral research at the Florida Museum of Natural History, he reasoned that tiger beetles must receive a major benefit from making the sound, since it would also help bats locate them. Tiger beetles are the only group of beetle scientists know of that seem to produce ultrasound in response to bat predation. An estimated 20% of moth species, however, are known to have this ability and provide a helpful reference for understanding the behavior in other insects. “This was a really fun study because we got to peel apart the story layer by layer,” Gough said. Many tiger beetles that are active at night produce a high-pitched, ultrasonic warning signal to ward off bats. Credit: Harlan Gough Research Methodology and Observations The researchers began by confirming that tiger beetles produced ultrasound in response to bat predation. As bats fly through the night sky, they periodically send out ultrasonic pulses, which gives them snapshots of their surroundings. When a bat has located potential prey, they start clicking more frequently, allowing them to lock on to their targets. This also creates a distinctive bat echolocation attack sequence, which researchers played for tiger beetles to see how they would respond. When a beetle flies, its hard shell opens to reveal two hindwings that generate lift. The elytra, which formerly covered the wings, are protective and don’t help with flight. These are typically held up and out of the way. The researchers spent two summers in the deserts of southern Arizona and collected 20 different tiger beetle species to study. Of these, seven responded to bat attack sequences by swinging their elytra slightly toward the back. This caused the beating hind wings to strike the back edges of the elytra, like the two wing pairs were clapping. To a human’s ears it sounds like a faint buzzing, but a bat would pick up the higher frequencies and hear the beetle loud and clear. Insect Responses to Bat Echolocation “Responding to bat echolocation is a much less common ability than just being able to hear echolocation,” Gough said. “Most moths aren’t singing these sounds through their mouths, like we think of bats echolocating through their mouth and nose. Tiger moths, for example, use a specialized structure on the side of the body, so you need that structure to make ultrasound as well as ears to hear the bat.” Tiger beetles were certainly responding to the sound of a bat attack with ultrasound. But why? Some moths can jam bat sonar by producing several clicks in close, quick succession. The researchers quickly ruled out this possibility for tiger beetles, however, as they produce ultrasound that is too simple for such a feat. Instead, they suspected that tiger beetles, which produce benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide as defensive chemicals, were using ultrasound to warn bats that they are noxious — like many moths do. “These defensive compounds have been shown to be effective against some insect predators,” Gough said. “Some tiger beetles, when you hold them in your hand, you can actually smell some of those compounds that they are producing.” Testing the Chemical Defense Theory They tested their theory by feeding 94 tiger beetles to big brown bats, which eat a wide array of insects but show a strong preference for beetles. To their surprise, 90 were completely eaten while two were only partially consumed, and just two were rejected, indicating that the beetles’ defensive chemicals do little to dissuade big brown bats. According to Akito Kawahara, director of the museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, this was the first time scientists had tested whether tiger beetles were actually noxious to bats. “Even if you identify a chemical, that doesn’t mean it’s a defense against a particular predator,” Kawahara said. “You don’t actually know until you do the experiment with the predator.” Mimicry as a Survival Strategy It turned out tiger beetles don’t use ultrasound to warn bats of their noxiousness. But there was one last possibility. Some moths produce anti-bat ultrasound even though they are palatable. Scientists believe these moths are trying to trick bats by acoustically mimicking the ultrasonic signals of genuinely noxious moth species. Could tiger beetles be doing something similar? The researchers compared recordings of tiger beetle ultrasound, collected earlier in the study, with recordings of tiger moths already in their database. Upon analyzing the ultrasonic signals, they found a clear overlap and the answer to their question. Tiger beetles, which do not have chemical defenses against bats, produce ultrasound to mimic tiger moths, which are noxious to bats. But this behavior is limited to tiger beetles that fly at night. Some of the 2,000 species of tiger beetles are active exclusively during the day, using their vision to chase and hunt smaller insects, and don’t have the selective pressure of bat predation. The 12 diurnal tiger beetle species that the researchers included in the study are evidence of this. “If you get one of those tiger beetles that goes to sleep at night and play bat echolocation to it, it makes no response at all,” Gough said. “And they seem to be able to pretty quickly lose the ability to be afraid of bat echolocation.” Ecological Implications and Concerns Researchers suspect there may be even more undiscovered examples of ultrasonic mimicry, given how understudied the acoustics of the night sky are. “I think it’s happening all over the world,” Kawahara said. “With my colleague, Jesse Barber, we have been studying this together for many years. We think it’s not just tiger beetles and moths. It appears to be happening with all kinds of different nocturnal insects, and we just don’t know simply because we haven’t been testing in this manner.” These delicate ecological interactions are also at risk of being disrupted soon. Acoustic mimicry needs a quiet environment to work, but human impacts like noise and light pollution are already altering what the night sky looks and sounds like. “If we want to understand these processes, we need to do it now,” Kawahara said. “There are amazing processes taking place in our backyards that we can’t see. But by making our world louder, brighter and changing the temperature, these balances can break.” The authors published their study in the journal Biology Letters. Reference: “Tiger beetles produce anti-bat ultrasound and are probable Batesian moth mimics” by Harlan M. Gough, Juliette J. Rubin, Akito Y. Kawahara and Jesse R. Barber, 1 May 2024, Biology Letters. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0610 Juliette Rubin, former graduate student at the University of Florida and Jesse Barber of Boise State University were also authors on the study. RRG455KLJIEVEWWF |
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