Summary
Male lacewings shake their whole bodies to send tiny vibrations through a leaf, calling out to females nearby. Deep Look reveals the silent, buzzing 'songs' insects use to find each other.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A male lacewing vibrates the leaf it stands on. A female on the same leaf feels the pattern through her feet and can vibrate back. It's a hidden conversation carried through the plant -- animals sensing and sending signals to communicate.
- How does a male lacewing send his signal?
- How does a female feel a message she can't hear?
- Why do animals have so many different ways to communicate?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: vibration, signal, communicate, senses.
Try it: Rest your fingertips on a desk while a partner taps the far end. Write how a lacewing feels messages through a leaf.