Insect Sounds

What Sounds Do Insects Make?

Insects produce an amazing variety of sounds. From the familiar buzz of a bee to the chirping of crickets and the loud calls of cicadas, insect noises are an important part of the natural world.

Listen to the insect sounds above, then discover how different insects produce their distinctive noises and why they use them.

Common Insect Sounds

• Bee: bees make a characteristic buzzing sound.
• Cricket: male crickets produce familiar chirping sounds.
• Cicada: cicadas can produce loud buzzing, pulsing, and clicking sounds.
• Mosquito: mosquitoes make a high-pitched buzz in flight.
• Beetle: some beetles click, squeak, or buzz.
• Grasshopper: grasshoppers can chirp, click, and make other sounds.

Some insects are very noisy, while others make sounds that are difficult for people to hear.

How Do Insects Make Sounds?

Insects do not have vocal cords. Instead, they produce sounds in several different ways. Some rub body parts together, others vibrate specialized structures, and many flying insects produce sound through rapid wing movement. This is why insect noises can differ so much between species.

Why Do Insects Make Sounds?

Depending on the species, insects may use sounds to attract a mate, communicate, defend territory, warn of danger, or recognize members of their own species. The familiar cricket sound is an important form of communication, while many buzzing insects produce sound through wing movement or body vibrations.

The Sounds of Crickets and Cicadas

Crickets are famous for rhythmic chirping on warm evenings. Cicadas can be much louder; when many call together, their combined noise becomes one of summer's most noticeable sounds. Although they are sometimes confused, crickets and cicadas make their calls in very different ways.

Why Do Bees and Mosquitoes Buzz?

Flying insects can produce buzzing sounds through the rapid movement of their wings. Bee buzzing can come from rapid wingbeats during flight or from vibrations produced by the flight muscles. A mosquito's rapid wingbeats create the distinctive high-pitched whine often heard when it flies nearby.

Learning Insect Sounds

Listening to insect sounds for kids helps children discover small animals that can be hard to observe. Pictures, animal names, and sounds make learning interactive: a bee buzzes, a cricket chirps, and a cicada has a powerful summer call. Play a sound first and turn it into a guessing game.

Discover the Sounds of Insects

The insect world is full of buzzing, chirping, clicking, and other fascinating noises.

Explore the insects above and discover the sound of a bee, cricket, mosquito, and many more insects.

Can you recognize every insect by its sound?

Continue exploring Animal Sounds to discover farm animals, jungle animals, forest wildlife, ocean animals, birds, dinosaurs, and many other creatures.