Summertime’s tireless tunesmith

By Zoey McGee | Manor Ink

As the sun dips over the gorgeous mountains of our region on warm summer days, you may hear the rhythmic chorus of nature’s most persistent musicians. These tiny critters of the night create a sense of wilderness and provide a musical backdrop that has remained unchanged and timeless. But what makes cricket songs so special?

Unlike birds, which sing using their vocal cords, male crickets produce sound with their wings. Their wings feature comb-like structures with 50 to 300 tiny “teeth” that, when brushed together, create their chirp sound, making up for the fact that these bugs remain flightless despite their wings.

Their tune signifies their presence in a healthy environment. Crickets are also unofficially known as nature’s thermometer, as you can estimate the temperature by counting their chirps. Simply count the number of chirps in 15 seconds, add 40, and you’ll have the temperature in Fahrenheit.

While entertaining to us, crickets don’t really care that we can calculate the temperature based on their sounds. Instead, the main reason these insects chirp is to establish territory.

Some cultures consider crickets symbols of good luck and keep them as pets for their soothing sounds. During the imperial era in China, they were cherished as pets by both nobles and commoners, often housed in bamboo or golden cages. Cricket fighting, once a popular pastime, remains a thriving industry today, with an annual National Cricket Fighting Championship still held under rules established in the 13th century.

Beyond their music and cultural significance, and I guess athletic ability, crickets play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They help decompose plant material, recycle nutrients back into the soil and serve as a vital food source for birds, amphibians and small mammals.

So the next time you hear crickets, you can reflect on all their amazingness and remember – this is one concert you don’t have to pay for.