Name: The real reason why mosquitoes buzz
Uploaded: 2018-06-11T16:22:42Z
Duration: 4 min 33 s
Description: What does the love song of a mosquito sound like? Find out as our intrepid neuroscientists explore the meaning of all that annoying buzzing in your ear.

Greg Gage: The real reason why mosquitoes buzz

The real reason why mosquitoes buzz

What does the love song of a mosquito sound like? Find out as our intrepid neuroscientists explore the meaning of all that annoying buzzing in your ear.

Mosquitoes use their distinctive buzzing not just to annoy but to attract mates. Despite their tiny size, their nervous systems rival ours in auditory sensitivity, helping them find the perfect partner. Male and female mosquitoes each produce specific pitches—males at 600 hertz, females at 400—and when they meet, they adjust their wingbeats to harmonize, creating a duet. This courtship song is key to mosquito romance and could unlock new ways to stop the spread of diseases like malaria.