Sources: Information compiled from various online articles and scientific sources (see full references at the end).
Sound plays a crucial role in insect communication, whether to attract mates or defend territory. Some species have taken this to the extreme, producing astonishingly loud calls that defy their small size. Two insects stand out in the world of sound – one for its sheer volume, the other for its incredible noise-to-body-size ratio.
African Cicada (Brevisana brevis)
With a recorded sound level of 106.7 decibels, Brevisana brevis is among the loudest insects ever measured. This African cicada produces its calls using specialized structures called tymbals, rapidly contracting and releasing them to generate a loud, pulsating sound. Its calls are so powerful that Brevisana brevis holds a Guinness World Record for the loudest insect.
African Cicada (Brevisana brevis) | Photo @ Wynand Uys on _iNaturalist under CC BY
Lesser Water Boatman (Micronecta scholtzi)
Though just 2 millimeters long, Micronecta scholtzi is the true powerhouse of sound relative to its size. Males produce calls reaching 99.2 decibels, comparable to a freight train. The secret lies in an unusual method – rubbing their genitalia against the abdomen in a process called stridulation. Despite losing much of the sound as it travels from water to air, the noise remains loud enough for humans to hear from the riverbank.
Lesser Water Boatman (Micronecta) | Photo: © piemags/nature / Alamy Stock Photo
A Battle of Sound Giants
While Brevisana brevis holds the record for absolute volume, Micronecta scholtzi dominates in terms of sound production per body size. Each insect has evolved remarkable acoustic abilities, proving that when it comes to being heard, size isn’t everything.
Sources:
-
National Geographic. (2017). Tiergeräusche: Die Wanze mit der Penisvioline. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.nationalgeographic.de/tiere/2017/10/tiergeraeusche-die-wanze-mit-der-penisvioline
-
scinexx | Das Wissensmagazin mit Science-News aus Wissenschaft und Forschung. (2011). Das lauteste Tier der Welt ist eine Ruderwanze. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.scinexx.de/news/biowissen/das-lauteste-tier-der-welt-ist-eine-ruderwanze/
-
Namibia-Forum. (n.d.). Die lautesten Insekten der Welt. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.namibia-forum.ch/know-how/focus/529-die-lautesten-insekten-der-welt.html
-
Deutschlandfunk. (2017). Der größte Schreihals der Welt. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/der-groesste-schreihals-der-welt-100.html
-
University of Florida. (2001). Book of Insect Records – Chapter 24: Loudest. Department of Entomology & Nematology, UF/IFAS. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/ufbir/chapters/chapter_24.shtml
-
Guinness World Records. (n.d.). Loudest insect. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/70619-loudest-insect
-
IFLScience. (2023). The loudest animal relative to body size reaches 99.2 decibels…with its penis. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.iflscience.com/the-loudest-animal-relative-to-body-size-reaches-992-decibels-with-its-penis-77502
-
Uys, W. (n.d.). Insect on plant [Image]. iNaturalist. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/465517148 (licensed under CC BY 4.0)