Why is it that small insects, despite their size, can be so loud when they fly? That, and how crickets and cicadas can be so loud with their mating calls.

Question

Why is it that small insects, despite their size, can be so loud when they fly? That, and how crickets and cicadas can be so loud with their mating calls.

In: Biology

Answer 1

To explain the sound while flying, it depends on how many beats per minute (BPM) the insect needs to fly, and how big it is. To put it into a bit of perspective, a small yet high-revving V8 will sound completely different than a larger, lower-revving engine of the same configuration.