Friday, July 1, 2011

What A Bug!




Courtship never sounded so sweet -- at least in the insect kingdom. It appears that a tiny bug known as the singing penis (also, water boatman, or Micronecta scholtzi) -- is the loudest creature on Earth, relative to its body size and the way in which it uses its penis.

BBC Nature News reports that French and Scottish scientists have determined that the male variety of the 2mm freshwater insect "sings" so loud -- at almost 100 decibels -- it's like sitting in the front row of a concert hall while a loud orchestra plays.

Here's where the penis comes into play: the male bug attempts to beguile a prospective mate by rubbing its penis against its abdomen -- something called "stridulation," which insects do all the time when they rub body parts together to produce sounds.

The scientific team was caught off guard at the volume of the insects, which are found all over Europe.

"We were very surprised. We first thought the sound was coming from larger aquatic species," said James Windmill of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. "When we identified without any doubt the sound source, we spent a lot of time making absolutely sure that our recordings of the sounds were calibrated correctly," he said.


Their findings, published in the science journal PLoS One, indicate the bewitching song of the insect designated M. scholtzi can be compared to the sound of a passing freight train.

13 blew out from under the bed:

Nolens Volens said...

Should I try to do some stridulation to impress you? ;)

nitebyrd said...

Only if I can watch you try to do it!

Fat Controller said...

That's nothing special. Heather will tell you I do that all the time!

Ron said...

Bwhahahaahahaahahahahaha!

OMG...this was BRILLIANT, Nitebyrd!

I laughed my ass off!!!

" something called "stridulation," which insects do all the time when they rub body parts together to produce sounds."

Yup...I think I've done that before too!

Tee, hee!

Have a great weekend, Sis!

X ya!

nitebyrd said...

FC ~ LOL! But after reading some of your posts I think I might believe it!

Ron ~ ZOMG! I'm starting to get some very naughty visuals here! Maybe I could get all you guys together for a concert!

Alexis Kennedy said...

LOLOL!! I LOVED this post! Happy New Moon, sweetie!

Akelamalu said...

Trust the men to want to try it! LOL

CrystalChick said...

What an interesting post!
So do all the girl bugs have tiny ear plugs? haha

Anonymous said...

the male bug attempts to beguile a prospective mate by rubbing its penis against its abdomen... isn't that what happens with humans too?? ;)

Indi said...

nitebyrd ~ this is just what the doctor ordered, some thing to make me laugh... O.M.GOD and it worked.


Indi

xx

Indi said...

nitebyrd ~ HAPPY 4TH JULY babe,

Indi

xoxoxox

UP said...

Damn, the secret's out!

UP

Joanna Cake said...

I suspect that Ruf would also like a singing penis :)