Songs of Insects

Slightly Musical Conehead (Neoconocephalus exiliscanorus)

 
 
Formerly called Long-beaked Conehead, the Slightly Musical Conehead has the longest head adornment of all the coneheads. Its cone is black beneath, with a small hooklike crevice on the underside. This elegant-looking species is found in a variety of habitats, ranging from wetlands to cornfields, but in all situations it requires an abundance of water. Green and brown morphs occur in most populations. Considered by some scientists to be an indicator species for wetlands — if it is missing from a wetland within its range, there may be a problem with the ecological health of that habitat.
 

Song of a Slightly Musical Conehead.

Cone from below.

Slightly Musical Conehead

Song: A spirited series of bright raspy buzzes that have a “slightly musical” quality, at least when compared to other conehead songs: zee-zee-zee-zee-zee . . . Song peaks at around 12 kHz and is given at a rate of about three buzzes per second. All of the males in a particular area sing in unison, creating a hypnotic nocturne that is pleasing to the ear.
 
 
 
Sonogram of a Slightly Musical Conehead. © Wil Hershberger.