Night Melodies

As we move into the ‘dog days’ of summer I am always amazed at the night sounds when sitting on the patio or walking in my gardens—No, I am not referring to vehicles, sirens or people. My ears are focused in on the serenading sounds of the ‘crickets’ and ‘katydids’ their cousins. They are singing and harmonizing their songs, to find a mate, love is in the air.

Folklore abounds with crickets in world history. Crickets resembled intelligence and good fortune, were to be revered. Harming a cricket would bring misfortune to that person.

They were “caged”for singing and respected during the Tang Dynasty from 500 B.C. to 618 A.D. Then a new sport arose in the Song Dynasty from 960 to 278 A.D. “cricket fighting.”Cricket fights became so important that China actually created a governmental position, Cricket Minister, Jia Shi-Dao held the first office. Economies flourished with the importance of crickets.

The lowly cricket was even utilized to tell farmers when it was time to prep fields for spring harvest.

The endeared and reverenced quality was the cricket’s ability to sing, more correctly chirp, it’s ability, strength and vitality, and life cycles are what make this a creature of appreciation through history, cultures and customs of the world.

Did You Know:

Crickets can predict the temperature also? Yes, with chirping, they can give you the temperature.

You count the chirps from one cricket. The ambient air temperature varies the chirping with the crickets.

How is this done?For the Fahrenheit temperature, you count the number of chirps in 14 seconds, then add 40 to get the temperature at your location, it is an approximation. Example:  30 chirps in 14 seconds add the  40 = 70 degrees F. There is a formula for the Celsius temperature readings.

Why do crickets chirp?

This is how they communicate. Male crickets use chirping to attract females, scare off other males, or warn of danger.

Many of us think the cricket rubs his legs together to produce chirp. This is NOT true. The male actually rubs scraper ridges of his wing against a series of wrinkles, or “files”, on the other wing. The tone of the chirping depends upon the distance between the wrinkles. 

Nature, sings to us every night, listen to the melodies. Hummmh, I wonder if there is a sound in our ‘wrinkles’, just a thought to ponder.