Synchronous Visualization of Video‐TapedSounds and Motions of Insects

High-speed cinematography with synchronized oscillography has been used to analyze accurately the sound production by a rapidly moving structure during communicative behavior of insects (Walker & Dew, I972 Willey, I973, I974). However, this method involves expensive equipment and perhaps kilometers of film containing only a few hundred feet of analyzable sequences. Nevertheless, the accuracy and resolution of audio-visual synchrony by this method has been exceeded only by the use of minute magnetometers using the Hall-effect (Elsner, I97O; Elsner & Huber, I973) and by an ingenious method of flash-photography (Morris & Pipher, I972). On the other hand, studies needing an average synchrony accuracy of only 5 msec (essentially equivalent to motion picture framing rates of 60 pictures per sec) can utilize inexpensive or already available video-systems used commonly as educational tools. Video has several advantages over cinematographic methods" ) sound and picture are routinely recorded synchronously, 2) videotape can be erased and reused, 3) some video-cameras have great sensitivity and can be used even for nocturnal insects at very low light levels, and 4) the system can be used to monitor behavior for hours and then sequences can be selected, duplicated on another tape and then the original tape can be used again. There are disadvantages of video for high resolution work and these will be discussed in the Analysis (q.v.).