Are fish having sex keeping part of a city awake? Amorous animals could be behind mystery humming that starts at 10pm and goes on all night

Residents in Hythe, Southampton, are being kept awake by the noise

Some have even moved away from the area and are staying with friends

Scientists are studying whether the noise could be caused by fish

Midshipman male fish are known to let out drone while searching for mate



Amorous fish could be responsible for a mysterious humming noise keeping people awake at night.

Residents in a part of Southampton, Hamsphire, have been struggling to get to sleep because of the puzzling noise, which starts at 10pm and drones on all night.

Some people have even moved away from the affected area around Hythe and are sleeping on friends’ sofas to escape the nightmare.

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Midshipman fish are believed to be responsible for a humming noise keeping residents in a part of Southampton awake at night

The sound heard on Southampton Water (pictured) is said to be similar to the so-called West Seattle Hum which plagued parts of the US city this time last year

Now scientists are studying whether the noise could be being caused by fish having sex in an estuary nearby.

Midshipman male fish let out a distinctive drone to let females know they are searching for a mate.

The noise can go on for hours and often increases in volume as competing males attempt to out-hum each other.

Incredibly, scientists say the sound can be amplified by bouncing off buildings and ships.

The noise is famous in Seattle in Washington, USA, as midshipman fish are believed to live in the nearby Duwamish waterway.

Observers say the sound heard on Southampton Water is similar to the so-called West Seattle Hum, which plagued parts of the US city this time last year.

Midshipman male fish let out a distinctive drone to let females know they are searching for a mate

The National Oceanography Centre in Southampton was unable to shed any light on the mystery.

However, the Scottish Association for Marine Science claimed fish could be responsible for the bizarre buzzing sound.

Dr Ben Wilson said: 'It’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

THE SINGING FISH: HOW RESEARCH INTO THE MIDSHIPMAN CAN HELP BENEFIT HUMANS

The midshipman fish is famed for the distinctive humming noise made by the males when they are looking for a mate.

They are normally nocturnal animals and can be found buried in mud or sand during the day.

They make a range of noises, including a series of short grunts, known as a 'grunt train', along with a low growl, that can be used when a male is guarding his nest.

The long hums the fish are well-known for however can last up to an hour and are produced by two muscles contracting on the swim bladder.

While they have been known to prevent some living close to water from getting to sleep, research into their 'singing' could prove to be beneficial to humans.

The fish is able to avoid deafening itself with its own noise by turning down its sensitivity to noise, a mechanism which could also be used by humans.

Research into the fish's vocal and auditory mechanism could also help increase understanding of human speech and auditory pathways.

'There are certainly "sonic fish" in the north Atlantic and the approaches to the English Channel.'

The mystery hum is making life a misery for people living on both sides of Southampton Water.

The din has so far sparked dozens of complaints from residents suffering sleepless nights, who have come up with a number of other theories themselves.

They have blamed everything from heavy industry to tugboats and tanker ships operating out of Southampton Docks.

Resident Linda Zammit of Woolston, Southampton, said: 'I thought I was going mad at first. I hear it every night unless it’s windy or raining.

'It doesn’t keep me awake but it stops me getting back to sleep if I do happen to wake up.'

Maria Dennett, of Sholing, Southampton, said: 'We regularly experience a humming noise at night.

'A few times we put it down to a neighbour’s washing machine or dishwasher but it’s happening so frequently that we know it’s not the case.

'It’s a really low pitched sound that literally pulsates through the house.'

New Forest District Council has now received more than 30 complaints about the irritating hum.