Question about insects' wings

Well actually I wondered why the little one who's hanging out near my computer screen right now makes no discernible noise with his/her wings, when say bees or bluebottles make a buzzing noise.
 
speed VI, if they vibrate faster that than the frequencies the ears can hear we cant pick up the noise. That doesnt mean they arnt MAKING any noise however just that our ears cant register it
 
Oh right that makes sense, the insect I'm on about is a tiny little thing so probably beating its wings so fast that the frequency is not audible.
 
Also note the small ones don't produce much sound period (because there so tiny), even if the frequency is too high for humans to hear.
 
of course your right but its the frequency not the volume which explaines why no matter how close you are you still cant hear them and yet my dog seems to be able to detect flying incects no matter WHERE they are or how noisy the room is (she loves to catch them:p)
 
I don't know, I heard a fruit fly fly by my ear before, I wonder if any insects can beat their wings pasted 20,000Hz.
 
By the way EF, sorry I didn't reply to your post, it was really late and I couldn't be assed searching for my insect friend :D plus that insect is tiny and could be from any species of small insect.
 
"How come some insects make a whirring or buzzing noise while flying and others don't?"

Size, shape and speed of the beating wing per second. Ever listen to a bumble bee? They aren't humming. lol Same for flys and skeeters. The smaller a wing is and the slower an insects wing beats per second is why you are not likely to hear a hum.

Consider this for a comparison. Your in a house looking out at a road 50 yards away with normal day time sounds abounding. Which would you hear best, a small economy car, a truck or a semi-truck?
In this case to use an old saying, size does matter. ;)
 
I was dive-bombed by a friendly humming bird the other day, damned if I didn't think there was a helicopter on it's way to my skull for half a second.

TUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMP*DUCK!*TUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMPTUMP
*sigh*
oo, how pretty...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top