Insect Sound Project History
Every year, countless calling insects emerge and sing across North America, yet there are only a few thousand recordings of these insects, most made by a handful of individuals. For some species, there are no call recordings. Other species are still being discovered and described!
Consequently, there are many things that we do not know about the ranges of these insects, when they emerge, and how much variation exists among individuals and across the geographic range. This information can be used to answer a variety of basic and applied scientific questions. For example...
- Are calling insects appearing in places that they have not been found before (they travel in nursery plants and other vegetation)?
- Have emergence times shifted in response to changes in climate?
- Have some species disappeared from places where they have been found in the past?
- Are these insects increasing or decreasing in abundance?
- Does interference from some species shape the calls of others that are found in the same area?
Answering many of these questions will require recordings from different seasons and many different locations, something that is impossible for a single recordist, but that may be accomplished by a network of people working together. To begin building a database that can be used to address these question, I encourage you to submit recordings from your back yard, local park, or vacation destination!
Reminder: When recording, please respect private property, avoid dangerous situations (such as recording near roads), and familiarize yourself with local regulations regarding the collection of insects!