Which Factors Affect the Rate at Which a Cricket Chirps?

Contrary to popular belief, crickets don't chirp by rubbing their legs together. Instead, they chirp by rubbing their wings together. Male crickets rub the top of their right wing's scraper-like appendage over the bottom of their left wing, which has comb-like teeth arranged on a central vein. This action produces a sound called stridulation. Many factors affect a cricket's chirp rate, including weather, health and the desire to find a mate.

  1. Temperature

    • The primary factor affecting a cricket's chirp rate is the air temperature. Crickets are cold-blooded and need higher temperatures to reach a threshold of activity. Like reptiles, the warmer it is, the more active they are, and their raised activity level allows them to rub their wings together faster, producing a faster chirping rate. The correlation between chirp rate and temperature in Fahrenheit can be calculated using a formula called Dolbear's law. Count the number of chirps per 14 seconds and add 40 to determine the temperature of the cricket's immediate environment. Under controlled experimental laboratory conditions, a cricket produced seven times more chirps per minute for each degree Celsius the temperature increased.

    Reasons for Chirping

    • Another factor affecting the cricket's chirp rate and volume level is his reason for chirping. Crickets have a repertoire of different songs they sing for different reasons. Each song has an individual tempo and volume level. The main reason for chirping is to attract a female mate. This is a loud, regular chirping sound that may be heard over long distances by the female of the specific species. When the cricket detects the close presence of a female, he again changes the tempo and lowers the volume of his chirping song. A territorial song is used to let other males know to stay off the cricket's turf. This is a louder, more aggressive song alerting males to back off. Finally, a cricket chirps a celebratory song after successfully fertilizing a female.

    Minor Factors

    • Several minor factors also influence the cricket's chirp rate. Each species has its own characteristic chirping rates and sound levels, determined by their anatomies and mating habits. Other variables include the general health and physical condition of the cricket, age, respiration rate and muscular development.