Why Do Flies Get Louder?

It’s not always clear why flies get louder. Many flies make noise for a variety of reasons, including scaring predators or finding a mate. Others make loud noises to alert other flies to their presence or food sources. One example is the housefly, which makes an intense buzzing noise to attract attention and attract food.

Some flies are notorious for their loud buzzing noise, and some species are even more noisy than houseflies. Some species are capable of beating their wings as fast as 150 hertz (the equivalent of D). Other insects are more sensitive to this noise, and they can be able to control the volume of their buzzing by contracting muscles in the base of their wings.

In order to stay airborne, different-sized flies must beat their wings differently. Because of this, the frequency and force required to generate a buzz are different. Flies with large wings generate more lift and displace more air per beat, while smaller wings generate less noise. Butterflies, on the other hand, have a sinusoidal beat and are unable to produce much noise.

Researchers observed that when flies mate, they emit a raucous buzz. While they were unable to detect their offspring, these loud sounds alert predators to their presence.