What are these annoying, relentless, noisy insects??

[beatnik]

I'm on the canal in London and we're being plagued by annoying insects. They sound rather like crickets, but we can never spot them. They just chirrup chirrup chirrup ALL NIGHT LONG. So noisy! A cacophony of irritating insect sounds. We heard one or two a few weeks ago, but they're obviously breeding and there are more and more. It's hard to sleep. Some seem to live on the pontoon, but we can hear themm on the other, pontoonless, side as well.

 

DRIVING ME CRAZY...

 

Any idea what they could be?

[Mac of Cygnet]

I'm on the canal in London and we're being plagued by annoying insects. They sound rather like crickets, but we can never spot them. They just chirrup chirrup chirrup ALL NIGHT LONG. So noisy! A cacophony of irritating insect sounds. We heard one or two a few weeks ago, but they're obviously breeding and there are more and more. It's hard to sleep. Some seem to live on the pontoon, but we can hear themm on the other, pontoonless, side as well.

 

DRIVING ME CRAZY...

 

Any idea what they could be?

 

Probably the said crickets. You do seem to get annoyed easily. Personally I would just pretend I was in the South of France and let them lull me to sleep. I'm looking forward to getting back to the canal in London and hearing them.

 

Mac

[madcat]

just be glad they get their kicks from chirping rather than biting you.

[MtB]

just be glad they get their kicks from chirping rather than biting you.

 

Do crickets bite then?

 

I LOVE to hear them at night. It's just like being in the countryside.

 

And it's a way of knowing it's summer, despite the weather

 

Mike

[Dominic M]

 

DRIVING ME CRAZY...

 

Any idea what they could be?

They're known as Londoners. Straight up, chief.

[alan_fincher]

They're known as Londoners.

I thought they were called generators!

[by'eck]

 

Click ???

Edited June 21, 2011 by richardhula

[PhilR]

I'm on the canal in London and we're being plagued by annoying insects. They sound rather like crickets, but we can never spot them. They just chirrup chirrup chirrup ALL NIGHT LONG. So noisy! A cacophony of irritating insect sounds. We heard one or two a few weeks ago, but they're obviously breeding and there are more and more. It's hard to sleep. Some seem to live on the pontoon, but we can hear themm on the other, pontoonless, side as well.

 

DRIVING ME CRAZY...

 

Any idea what they could be?

 

It is amusing how different things annoy different people. I would be delighted to hear a bit of wildlife at night rather than a generator running on an adjoining boat. Insects are part of life and usually a sign that we are enjoying warm weather at last.

[TimD]

Crickets don't bite, but they can induce a heart attack. I was woken up with a start once when I lived in Sydney by a cricket that had got into my bedroom, then got an even bigger shock when I saw how big it was, about 5 inches long.

 

The classic through the night chirruping in warm climates (the ones you always hear in films) are cicadas not crickets but I don't think that you ever get them in Britain.

[Ally]

5" sounds more like a Praying Mantis!

[GSer]

I'm on the canal in London and we're being plagued by annoying insects. They sound rather like crickets, but we can never spot them. They just chirrup chirrup chirrup ALL NIGHT LONG. So noisy! A cacophony of irritating insect sounds. We heard one or two a few weeks ago, but they're obviously breeding and there are more and more. It's hard to sleep. Some seem to live on the pontoon, but we can hear themm on the other, pontoonless, side as well.

 

DRIVING ME CRAZY...

 

Any idea what they could be?

 

 

Ear plugs might help!

Edited June 21, 2011 by GSer

[Grace and Favour]

 

 

DRIVING ME CRAZY...

 

Any idea what they could be?

 

Continuous moorers ipods?

[Smelly]

Think yourself lucky

[sociable_hermit]

They're called "people".

 

Just ignore them.

[PhilR]

5" sounds more like a Praying Mantis!

 

A Praying Mantis doesn't look anything like a cricket. And both creatures are completely harmless to humans.

[Ange]

The two most annoying insect noises for me are:-

 

Bluebottles - the only insect that can stop me from having a morning lie in and turn me into a madwoman charging around the boat with a rolled up newspaper - totally irrational because they can't hurt me but they insist on buzzing right next to my ear

 

Mosquitoes / gnats - that high pitched tzzzzz sound drives me mad because I know they'll eat me during the night whilst leaving Dave alone and there's a good chance I'll have to find a chemist to buy antihistamines the next day because I react badly to their bites

 

Anything else I can live with ...

 

... sorry there is a third - those flying daddy long legs creatures - irrational again but they are sooo creepy and insist on dive bombing me

[nbtafelberg]

Polictiicans?

[RLWP]

The two most annoying insect noises for me are:-

 

Bluebottles - the only insect that can stop me from having a morning lie in and turn me into a madwoman charging around the boat with a rolled up newspaper - totally irrational because they can't hurt me but they insist on buzzing right next to my ear

 

<snip>

 

 

Bluebottles and flies also annoy Mrs Tawny Owl, we have discovered a useful trick for dealing with them without destroying the bedroom in the process.

 

They are drawn to light. So, if a bluebottle is buzzing around your head, Open a door and turn a light on in another room. When the bluebottle flies into that room, turn the light off in your room. It will stay in the other room. Turn the other light off, shut the door then turn your light on.

 

No bluebottle, no fuss

 

Richard

 

Fly-whisperer

Edited June 22, 2011 by RLWP