What do cicadas sound like

They have the hugest biological imperative to mate, to find someone who's going to be interested in this sound. And so in order to do that they may have to really create a rather vibrant, very loud noise that can attract females from quite a distance to ensure that they haven't spent 17 years below ground for nothing.

The cicadas have two typical songs. One of the songs of course, is the one that we've been discussing as this reproductive imperative for them to attract the attention of females. So with the cicadas, it's all about this song that they're able to produce. And the males that are able to produce a louder song likely have larger muscles, are potentially bigger males.

And that may mean that they're better at acquiring nutrition, and thus have genes that would make them a better father of the offspring of that female. The males are doing this all together. And then they're listening at the same time to see if they can potentially hear the responsive clicks that the female will make if she is interested in him. Now the female makes a sound like this. That noise is not supposed to be incredibly resonant. It's more of a directed noise to get the attention of a male that's close by.

And they get so excited about this because of all the time that they have been waiting for this, that they will go after anything, and I mean anything, that makes a rhythmic clicking noise. And so that's power tools that people are using outside, that's lawn mowers, even just snapping can be something that can attract male cicadas to you.

But the other song is a warning call. This is the distress sound. And so it's remarkable, but cicadas continue to show that they have an all for one, one for all kind of dynamic going where they are intently trying to make sure that they can pass on their genes, and that those around them can as well.

The larva fall and burrow into the ground. And the 17 year cycle begins again. Just beautiful. I know that it's fairly easy for people to hear this and think of it as just a bunch of loud, random, purposeless noise. But these creatures, the sound that they're producing here, it can even create an emotional response for you to consider what they have been through, and what they are looking forward to.

I can't stop drawing parallels between us and the pandemic, and all over the world. Reach Keith Sharon at or ksharon tennessean. Facebook Twitter Email. Want to impress your friends? Here's 5 facts about cicadas to share at your next tailgate or barbeque. Keith Sharon Nashville Tennessean. Show Caption. Hide Caption. Cicadas Brood X What you need to know about the noisy insect.

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Call Adult cicadas come in many colors from greenish-yellow to black, and they have big eyes and two pairs of wings. You can hear groups of cicadas from more than a mile away!

Listen to Cicada Noises. I'm from Minnesota and have a bug in my yard that makes a noise that sounds like a rattlesnake. It goes all day and all night. If you have any idea of what it is, that would be most helpful.

W What could this be?