Road noise makes female crickets less picky with their partners
Previous studies have suggested noise pollution affects animal movements, feeding and breeding behaviours
A female cricket approaching a male
Credit: Dr Adam Bent /PA
Traffic noise makes "distracted" female crickets less picky with their partners, a study has found, as scientists warn the trend could lead to a decline in the species.
Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University found that female crickets were less discerning between partners making high-quality and low-quality courtship songs if there was traffic noise going on at the same time, according to a study in the journal Behavioral Ecology.