Insects sing to their sweeties
Photo by fde comite
An orchestra of insect musicians await those with ears to listen.
Earth & Sky spoke with Lang Elliot, co-author of The Songs of Insects, a book and CD on the trills and chirps of the outdoors. Elliott said these sounds are primarily made by males calling out to females, saying, “I’m here for you.” Katydids and crickets chirp to their sweethearts by what Elliott called stridulation.
Lang Elliott: They’re rubbing their wings together. At the base of one wing there’s a file. At the base of the opposite wing there’s a scraper. So the scraper is rubbed over the file or vice-versa, to set up a vibration which is amplified, in part, by the wings.
Meanwhile, cicadas produce their songs with drum-like organs called tymbals.
Lang Elliott: The cicadas, their ears are right next to their tymbals, at the base of their antennae. Seems like they drive themselves insane when they’re singing.
Elliott added that sometimes, within a species, male insects will come together to form a choir.
Lang Elliott: They’re attracted. Males will hear these congregations and walk toward them. And I’ve often found katydids crossing the road because they’re heading for these choruses.
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