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Why do crickets chirp? |
by Kate Simmons >> more about the author
Ah, the sound of a cricket chirping! Perhaps you’ve heard it while walking past the bushes one evening, or maybe you’ve tried to follow the sound, only to discover the cricket is actually inside of your house! It’s a noise that’s loud and strong--let’s discover just why crickets chirp!
Crickets chirp in order to send messages to other crickets. Often the male (boy) cricket will chirp to attract a female (girl) cricket so they can meet and have baby crickets! Some male crickets create a fighting chirp to keep other male crickets away. Crickets may also chirp in order to let other crickets know of danger or trouble nearby.
On the underside of each cricket wing is a row of bumps called a file. On the top of each wing is a scraper. By rubbing their wings together, crickets use their scraper and file to create their signature sound!
Did you know that crickets chirp at a faster rate when the weather is warmer?! It’s true! You may have also noticed that you hear cricket chirps more often in the evenings. This is because crickets are often nocturnal, or active at night!
