What Is The Loudest Insect?
When thinking of a noisy species perhaps many of us imagine a giant and heavy animal. However, some tiny animals such as insects can make very powerful sounds. Who has not lost a night of sleep thanks to the annoying noise of a mosquito? But mosquitoes aren’t the loudest insects, actually. There are other specimens considered the loudest insect in the world.
The cicada, the loudest insect on the planet
The famous song of the cicada is so characteristic and peculiar that it has inspired various songs, poems, novels and even popular beliefs. It is not by chance that the cicada is the loudest insect in the world: its sound can exceed 120 dB and reach a vibration level of up to 86 Hz.
The song of the cicada is so powerful that human beings – who do not have as developed hearing as other species – can perceive it from more than 500 meters away.
The body of cicadas has a structure called the stridulatory apparatus , on the sides of its first abdominal portion. In this device we find the timpani, chitinous membranes, which act in a similar way to a resonance box.
And why do cicadas sing? Formerly it was common to associate the sound of this insect with warm days. Nowadays, there are those who listen to the song of a cicada and affirm that “tomorrow will be hot.”
Actually, male cicadas are the ones that sing during the breeding period to attract females. It is a natural method of communicating their presence, summoning females and keeping other males away from their territory.
Since the breeding season of cicadas begins in spring, when the warm days return after winter, popular wisdom has associated their song with the arrival of heat.
The 5 loudest animals in nature
Without a doubt, the cicada is the loudest insect in the world, but there are also other animals that manage to emit very powerful vibrations and sounds. Next, we analyze which are the loudest animals on our planet:
Micronecta Scholtzi
The Micronecta scholtzi or ‘water bug is a tiny aquatic insect, and its body measures only two millimeters, but the sound it emits can reach 99 decibels. For this reason, it is considered the loudest animal and insect in proportion to its size.
Like cicadas, these bugs ‘sing’ to attract females during the mating phase. The vibration results from a process known as stridulation, where the male ‘rubs’ his penis against the abdomen.
Incredibly, with a penis of only 50 micrometers, the Micronecta emits a very powerful sound. However, it is difficult for human beings to perceive its sound, since more than 90% of its power is lost when passing from water to air.
Sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus )
The powerful song of whales dominates the oceans of our planet, which is why they are always among the most communicative and ‘scandalous’ animals. However, sperm whales are particularly notable for emitting the most intense sound in the entire animal kingdom. It is a kind of very loud and short click, lasting between 15 and 30 milliseconds, but reaching up to 230 dB.
Tiger Gun Shrimp ( Alpheus bellulus )
The tiger pistol shrimp is a small species native to the Mediterranean that emits an ‘explosive’ sound of up to 200 dB. In addition, it uses its powerful tweezers to form a bubble that acts as sound insulation.
Actually, individuals of this species modify the acoustic pressure of their environment to enhance their own sound. It is a very peculiar method of ‘attacking’ and killing its prey with shock waves that reach 100 km / h.
The fishing bat ( Noctilio leporinus)
All bats emit sound waves to orient themselves in their habitat (a method known as echolocation). But fishing bats emit an extremely powerful vibration, which can reach 140 dB. As the sound of the bat exceeds 20Hz it is imperceptible to human ears. For this reason, we tend to consider bats as silent animals.
Kákapu ( Strigops )
The kakapu are recognized as the only species of parrot that cannot fly. Its mating song is so powerful that it can exceed 130 dB and extend for more than five kilometers. Unfortunately, it is among the species most at risk of extinction on the planet.
