How does a cricket (the insect) make a sound?

Only the male cricket makes calls with its familiar chirp.

Crickets communicate with each other by making a different sound. Most of the time the sounds we hear are mating calls to attract the female insect.

The sound is made by lifting the wing covers to a 45-degree angle and rubbing the front area of one wing cover (scraper) against the rough area on the other wing (file). Scientists call this method of making sounds (rubbing one body part against another) stridulation.

You can make a similar sound by rubbing a file against the edge of a tin can. Each wing cover has both a file and a scraper so they can alternate rubbing one side against another. This is thought to decrease the wear on the file so the cricket can continue to chirp for a long time.