Insects That Rub Wings Together

Crickets are one type of insect that rub their wings together.

Songs of different insects roll through the window screen in the evening dusk. The chirping and songs they make are often created through specific actions of the wings and other parts of insects' bodies. The wings being rubbed together is a particular trait of certain insects that scientists study in nature.

Purpose

According to the National Zoo, many insects engage in stridulation, or the rubbing of different parts of the body together, such as the wings. Many male insects do this to attract a female, or to warn off other male insects competing for female attention. The females are able to identify males based on the distinctive characteristic of the song produced. The sounds are produced by insects such as katydids and crickets.

Mechanics

Cricket wings have special characteristics that help to make each song different.

The distinctive melodies of these insects are created by the rubbing of the forewings against each other. The upper wing of these insects feature a file, or a set of notched teeth, while the lower wing sports a scraper. When the file gets rubbed against the scraper, the song is produced. The wings serve to provide amplification for the sound so that it is heard by insects of the same species over distance.

Long-Horned Grasshoppers

There are several varieties of this type of long-horned grasshopper, including katydids, shield-backed grasshoppers, meadow and cone-headed grasshoppers. They produce sounds by rubbing together the covers of their wings. Each one of these makes a unique sound with its wings, making it possible to differentiate them by their songs. Scientists use the songs to help find the geographical boundaries and types of environments in which these insects live.

Crickets

The distinctive sound of a cricket's song depends on the distance between the files on the lower wing. This changes the type of tone that is emitted. The temperature outside also affects the frequency of chirps that a cricket makes. They not only create their songs to find mates, but also while courting a female and to warn of danger that is close by. Their song has a loud, repetitious sound to it.

References

• Smithsonian National Zoological Park: Insects: Communication
• National Park Service: Amistad: Field Guide to Insects
• "National Geographic"; "Cricket, Katydid Songs Are Best Clues to Species' Identities"
• The Library of Congress: "Can You Tell the Temperature by Listening to the Chirping of a Cricket?"

Resources

• The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Insect Division Periodical Cicada Page
• Mississippi State University Insect Zoo