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Study what effect low or high pitched sounds have on nocturnal insects

Life Sciences science projects

Suitable For

Grade 8

Difficulty

3

Time Required

 <2 Days

Supervision

Advised

What’s it about?

As much as there is a place for all insects in the bigger scheme of things, some ‘nocturnal’ insects can be really annoying to people during the non-winter months. Night insects like mosquitoes, moths and the like, buzzes your ears constantly, and some nocturnal insects such as gnats are so tiny, they can even travel through screened doors and windows. In this science project, experiment with high and low pitched sounds to see if it has any effect on nocturnal insects:

Topics covered

Nocturnal

What will I need?

  • FLASHLIGHT
  • CARDBOARD BOX
  • ALUMINIUM FOIL
  • SCISSORS & GLUE
  • STOP WATCH
  • TAPE RECORDER & TAPE
  • ELECTRONIC ORGAN

Procedure (Method)

As much as there is a place for all insects in the bigger scheme of things, some ‘nocturnal’ insects can be really annoying to people during the non-winter months. Night insects like mosquitoes, moths and the like, buzzes your ears constantly, and some nocturnal insects such as gnats are so tiny, they can even travel through screened doors and windows. In this science project, experiment with high and low pitched sounds to see if it has any effect on nocturnal insects:

Science project diagram
  1. Find a medium sized carton box with flaps. Use scissors to trim away the sides of each of the four flaps as in the diagram above.
  2. Use scissors to cut out a rectangular piece of aluminium foil that will fit fully inside the back wall of the box (the side opposite the opening with the flaps). Stick the piece of aluminium foil against the inside back wall using glue.
  3. Push the flaps slightly towards the inside of the box so that the wedges come together where it was trimmed away.
  4. Use an electronic organ or keyboard and tape recorder to create a tape recording of 20 minutes of a continuous very low note followed by 20 minutes of a continuous very high pitched note.
  5. At nightfall, put the box upright so that the flaps are facing to the side and the aluminium backing faces the flaps. Switch on and place an electronic lantern or flashlight upright at the back of the box next to the aluminium backing so that the light is reflected outward.
  6. Leave the box alone in the dark and use a stopwatch to count down 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, count the number of insects caught in the box as accurately as possible, and record your results.
  7. Now, clean out the box of insects and place the tape recorder inside the box next to the flashlight. Start the tape recording of the continuous low pitched sound and leave the box for 20 minutes. Count the number of insects caught during this time and record you results.
  8. Repeat ‘step 7’ but this time play the very high pitched tone for twenty minutes on the tape recorder.
  9. Examine your recorded data and notice the effect the low and high sounds have on the insects!

How does it work?

This science experiment works because nocturnal insects are naturally attracted to any source of bright light. When no sound is playing for the first 20 minutes, many insects fly toward the light in the box being reflected off the shiny aluminium paper, and gets trapped inside the box due to the flap that are folded slightly inwards. When the low pitched sound is played for the next 20 minutes, and the high-pitched sound there after, you might find that fewer insects are attracted and caught inside the box.

Electronic pest devices are supposed to repel insects by ultrasonic, high-pitched sound or by subsonic, low-pitched sound. Some use an electromagnetic field. This energy or sound is supposed to drive pests away. Even though such devices do seem to work, it is claimed that they have never been scientifically proven to work.

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