Mole crickets stridulate like other crickets by scraping the rear edge of the left forewing , which form a plectrum , against the lower surface of the right forewing , which have a ratchet @-@ like series of asymmetric teeth : the more acute edges face backwards , as do those of the plectrum . The plectrum can move forwards with little resistance ; but moving it backwards make it catch each tooth , setting up a vibration in both wings . The sound @-@ producing stroke is the raising ( levation ) of the wings . The resulting song resemble the result of modulating a pure tone with a 66 Hertz wave to form regular chirps . In G. vineae , the wing levator muscle , which weigh 50 milligrams , can deliver 3 @.@ 5 milliWatts of mechanical power ; G. gryllotalpa can deliver about 1 milliWatt . G. vineae produce an exceptionally loud song from half an hour after sunset , continuing for an hour ; it can be heard up to 600 metres away . At a distance of 1 metre from the burrow , the sound have a mean power over the stridulation cycle of up to 88 decibels ; the loudest recorded peak power was about 92 decibels ; at the mouths of the burrow , the sound reach around 115 decibels . G. gryllotalpa can deliver a peak sound pressure of 72 decibels and a mean of about 66 decibels . The throat of the horn appear to be tuned ( offering low inductive reactance ) , making the burrow radiate sound efficiently ; the efficiency increase when the burrow is wet and absorb less sound . Mole crickets are the only insects that construct a sound @-@ producing apparatus . Given the known sensitivity of a cricket 's hearing ( 60 decibels ) , a night @-@ flying G. vineae female should be able to detect the male 's song at a range of 30 metres ; this compare to about 5 metres for a typical Gryllus cricket that do not construct a burrow .