Steering responses of flying crickets to sound and ultrasound: Mate attraction and predator avoidance

Abstract

The steering responses of tethered, flying adult female crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) to acoustic stimulation were investigated. Crickets responded directionally to directional sound stimulation by bending their abdomens and hind legs to one side. This response was an attempt to turn. When stimulated with a model of conspecific calling song with a carrier frequency of from 3-9 kHz, crickets turned toward the sound source. This indicates a positive phonotactic response of flying females to calling, conspecific males. When offered a choice between consepcific song and the song of another species, females turned exclusively toward conspecific song, demonstrating that the response is species specific. The direction of the response is dependent on the carrier frequency of the song, and it demonstrates frequency discrimination. Females turned toward calling song when it was played at carrier frequencies from 3-9 kHz, but turned away from the same song pattern played at carrier frequencies from 30-70 kHz. This negative phonotaxis to ultrasonic stimuli suggests that crickets, like some other nocturnal flying insects, can evade bats by acoustic detection.