r/whatisit • u/Cultural_Fall_3255 • 4h ago

New, what is it? What is this thing.

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96

u/zorbinthorium 4h ago

That wheezing noise is called stridulating, when body parts are rubbed together to make a noise

46

u/whyisitallsotoxic 4h ago

Since those are just his plates rubbing together, if you oiled him up like a suit of armor, would he then not be able to produce that noise?

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u/zorbinthorium 4h ago

Theoretically I would think so. Probably wouldn't be great for the insect since they breathe passively through holes in their exoskeleton and I'd imagine most lubricants would not agree with their insides

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u/Xentonian 3h ago

Drowning a beetle in WD40 so it is less squeaky is not the concept I thought I would read today.

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u/Lone-raver 2h ago

Yeah that’s be fucked up. Idk how I became this guy but o constantly get mocked for my unwillingness to kill spiders and bugs. I sorta annoying.

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u/femmefatalx 31m ago

I really don’t like bugs and spiders but I refuse to kill them too. I used to not care, but the older I get the more I feel that I don’t have any right to end their lives and feel really bad if someone else’s does or there’s no other option.

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u/panda_sauce 1h ago

Starship Troopers would have had it so much easier if they just went around spraying lubricant.

-1

u/Sigihil 2h ago

I actually have a video saved to my phone where a dude does exactly that with a cricket

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u/Pristine-Setting-836 1h ago

Ive seen that too and poor lil dude looked like he was freakin tf out😭

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u/Kermit_the_hog 4h ago

Yeah that would clog his little spiracles!

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u/HendrixHazeWays 3h ago

"This clogs the crab"

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u/ExhibitBCT 3h ago

Some oils are used for insect control specifically because of those holes (spiracles) because they clog the holes and suffocate them

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u/IKnowYouAreButWhtAmI 1h ago

People oiled their suits of armor?

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u/Saikotsu 2h ago

Interesting. I was wondering how it was making that cool noise. Such a neat creature.

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u/zorbinthorium 45m ago

Yep, it's the sound of the plates on its neck, to be specific. That's why it's synced with its head bobbing. Exactly like a squeaky hinge

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u/Nice-Traffic4485 3h ago

Is the noise intentional, or a biproduct? Like, do these beetles use that noise for communication?

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u/zorbinthorium 48m ago

Started off as a natural byproduct and evolved overtime into something that can be used with intention as a means of communicating

Crickets chirping is the same mechanism, just a different part of their body

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u/Dr_Malignant 2h ago

does it stridulate when it wants to kill

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u/karenskygreen 1h ago

Thats goodnto know my rubbing body parts together is strindulating. What about when you rub your body part with someone elses body part ?.whats that sound called ?