Like Music to My Tympanum: The Effect of Sound Frequency on the Respiratory Rate of Crickets

Abstract

Since crickets are able to hear from 2kHz to at least 100kHz, this experiment was performed to find out of a cricket’s rate of respiration was affected if they heard frequencies normally produced by their predators (Hoy 1982, as cited in Imaizumi and Pollack 1999). 10 crickets were placed in a biochamber for 5 minutes while we measured their O₂ intake; either no sound, 70kHz, 6 kHz, or 4kHz was played. Each trial was done three times. The 70kHz frequency resulted in a significantly higher rate of respiration in the crickets. Due to these early results, we can say that our hypothesis has been upheld. The crickets have exhibited a response due to the similar predatory sounds that resulted in higher physiological activity.