Wonderchirp
日本語

Why do crickets chirp at night?

この動画の日本語版

For grown-ups: the science

Male crickets chirp at night to call females and let other males know they are nearby.

Male crickets make calling songs by drawing a scraper on one forewing across tooth-like ridges on the other forewing. These calls mainly attract females and communicate with rival males. Nighttime can be cooler, quieter, and have less activity from day-active birds, which can make calls more effective at reaching mates.

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Transcript

The grass is dark, and tiny chirps fill the yard. Why do crickets chirp so much at night?

A male cricket rubs a scraper on one front wing over tiny ridges on the other. That wing-rubbing makes the chirp.

A chirping male sends his sound across the grass. The sound helps females find him and tells other males to keep away.

At night, the air is cooler, the world is quieter, and many insect-eating birds are resting. So a chirp can travel more clearly to female crickets.

So that's why crickets often chirp at night. Male crickets are sending clear calls through the quiet, cool air.