The LOUDEST ANIMAL ON EARTH scaled to body size — male stridulation calls reach 99 DECIBELS UNDERWATER, exceeding the loudness of a passing freight train relative to body size.
Death's-head hawkmoths produce an audible squeak by forcing air through the proboscis — making them one of the only moths with a 'voice.'
Madagascar hissing cockroaches make their hiss by exhaling — making them one of the only insects on Earth with a true acoustic 'voice.'
Mass cicada choruses reach 100 decibels — louder than a chainsaw, and capable of damaging human hearing with prolonged exposure.
Adult lacewings court via species-specific vibrations transmitted through plant leaves — 30 cryptic species are distinguishable only by their songs.
Females select mates partly on chirp quality — males with cleaner, more rhythmic songs father more eggs.
The soft 'tre-tre-tre' chirp is a defining sound of late-summer evenings across eastern North America — woven into countless Hollywood film soundtracks.
