What Do Locusts Sound Like?

How Do Locusts Make Sounds?

Locusts sounds come from rubbing one part of their body against another body part. This creates a sound heard both at night and during the day depending on the species. This process is known as stridulation. It plays a large role in attracting mates and moderating other locust behaviors based upon environmental conditions.

Types of Locust Sounds

The procedure of making sound and the sounds they generate differ among the grasshopper groups that are called locusts.

Slant-faced grasshoppers

For example, slant-faced grasshoppers produce sound by rubbing spikes located on the inner surface of their hind legs against the edges of their front wings. The noise produced by these grasshoppers is a soft, muffled buzzing sound.

Band-winged grasshoppers

Band-winged grasshoppers sing only in the daytime and make a loud, snapping, or cracking sound with their wings as they fly. This sound, crepitation, occurs when the locust's wing membranes between the wing veins become stretched and rigid.