Social Reactions to the Mating Call
In both the cicada and cricket the mating call of the males generates reactions in both other males and females although in different ways. .
In Other Males
Crickets:
In the crickets the reaction of males to the mating call of other males seems to be a violent as it has been shown that a different song will be generated by the male cricket in the presence of another male cricket, this is called the aggression song (Huber, 1962). This song has been linked to fighting behaviour between male crickets and even between male and non-reproductive female crickets (note that female crickets do not chirp, the non-reproductive female will just react aggressively to the song) (Huber, 1962). Although this aggression song is also very important in the normal mounting of the female cricket on the male as without this call mounting occurrence decrease (Balakrishnan & Pollack, 1996). This may be due to the structural similarities between the courtship song and the aggression song or the different frequencies that are produced during the aggression song, the underlying reason for this different reaction to the aggression song though is yet to be fully understood (Balakrishnan & Pollack, 1996).
Cicadas:
In the cicadas however this is a different story, there is no such thing as an aggression song in cicada populations and fighting between male cicadas has not been observed due to courtship calls (Doolan, 1981). It was observed though that the mating call of the male cicada acted as a repellent to other males in the area, upon hearing the mating call of another male in the area instead of fighting the cicada would just move out of the area and settle somewhere else (Doolan, 1981).
In the crickets the reaction of males to the mating call of other males seems to be a violent as it has been shown that a different song will be generated by the male cricket in the presence of another male cricket, this is called the aggression song (Huber, 1962). This song has been linked to fighting behaviour between male crickets and even between male and non-reproductive female crickets (note that female crickets do not chirp, the non-reproductive female will just react aggressively to the song) (Huber, 1962). Although this aggression song is also very important in the normal mounting of the female cricket on the male as without this call mounting occurrence decrease (Balakrishnan & Pollack, 1996). This may be due to the structural similarities between the courtship song and the aggression song or the different frequencies that are produced during the aggression song, the underlying reason for this different reaction to the aggression song though is yet to be fully understood (Balakrishnan & Pollack, 1996).
Cicadas:
In the cicadas however this is a different story, there is no such thing as an aggression song in cicada populations and fighting between male cicadas has not been observed due to courtship calls (Doolan, 1981). It was observed though that the mating call of the male cicada acted as a repellent to other males in the area, upon hearing the mating call of another male in the area instead of fighting the cicada would just move out of the area and settle somewhere else (Doolan, 1981).
In Females
Crickets:
The reproductive female cricket’s reaction is very different to the non-reproductive female and the male, the reproductive female follows the courtship song of the male cricket and allows it to guide her to him (Hedwig, 2006). This behaviour is called phonotaxis, although in saying this the female cricket does not seem to hone in on any particular male, she just wonders in the direction of the call before coming across a male that is producing a call (Hedwig, 2006).
Cicadas:
For cicadas it similar, the females still participate in phonotaxis but they also choose their mate based on the loudness of the call that is given off (Doolan, 1981). The female cicada follows the call of the male but does not go straight for him instead she lands about 0.5m away from him and flicks a pheromone around with her wings to let him know that she is ready to mate (Doolan, 1981). The more pheromone she flicks the more eager she is to mate, the amount of pheromone that is flicked also appears to be correlated to the loudness of the call produced by the male,the louder the call the more the female wants to mate (Doolan, 1981).
So while both crickets and cicadas both generate sound to attract mates the way that they produce, amplify and react to the reproductive calls (regardless of their sex) is very different with the crickets opting to fight if they are not to mate opposed to cicadas that leave to find their own area if they are not to mate.
The reproductive female cricket’s reaction is very different to the non-reproductive female and the male, the reproductive female follows the courtship song of the male cricket and allows it to guide her to him (Hedwig, 2006). This behaviour is called phonotaxis, although in saying this the female cricket does not seem to hone in on any particular male, she just wonders in the direction of the call before coming across a male that is producing a call (Hedwig, 2006).
Cicadas:
For cicadas it similar, the females still participate in phonotaxis but they also choose their mate based on the loudness of the call that is given off (Doolan, 1981). The female cicada follows the call of the male but does not go straight for him instead she lands about 0.5m away from him and flicks a pheromone around with her wings to let him know that she is ready to mate (Doolan, 1981). The more pheromone she flicks the more eager she is to mate, the amount of pheromone that is flicked also appears to be correlated to the loudness of the call produced by the male,the louder the call the more the female wants to mate (Doolan, 1981).
So while both crickets and cicadas both generate sound to attract mates the way that they produce, amplify and react to the reproductive calls (regardless of their sex) is very different with the crickets opting to fight if they are not to mate opposed to cicadas that leave to find their own area if they are not to mate.