prep2-23 想不明白

Scientists believe that unlike the males of most species of moth, the maile whistling moths of Nambung, Australia, call female moths to them by the use of acoustical signals, but not olfactory ones, and they attract their mates during the day, rather than at night.

(A) by the use of acoustical signals, but not olfactory ones, and they attract
(B) by the use of acoustical signals instead of using olfactory ones, and attracting
(C) by using acoustical signals, not using olfactory ones, and by attracting
(D) using acoustical signals, rather than olfactory ones, and attract
(E) using acoustical signals, but not olfactory ones, and attracting

正确答案D，我能明白答案里是将call female moths.....与attract their mates......并列，并且其中都有rather than，句子结构更合理。

但是C我不明白，C是将using acoustical......与attracting.......并列，从句意上看，也是行的通的。而且用by using是不是更好一些呢？