If you’ve ever been near cicadas, you know they can be incredibly loud! Imagine the noise of a hair dryer or a subway train—that’s how loud cicadas can get, reaching up to 100 decibels. But why are they so noisy? It’s not just to bother us; it’s actually a very important part of how they find a mate.
Cicadas have a unique way of making their loud sounds. Unlike crickets and katydids, which make noise by rubbing their legs together, male cicadas have special parts called tymbals. These tymbals are located on each side of their abdomen. When the cicada’s muscles contract and release quickly, they pull on the tymbals, making them click. This clicking sound resonates, or vibrates, against air sacs inside their bodies, creating the loud noise we hear.
The main reason cicadas are so loud is to attract a mate. The male cicadas sing their loud songs to get the attention of female cicadas. The louder and more impressive the song, the better chance they have of finding a mate. It’s like a big concert where the cicadas are the performers trying to impress the audience!
Did you know that some cicadas only come out every 13 or 17 years? These are called periodical cicadas, and when they emerge, there are millions of them singing together! Also, cicadas are harmless to humans, so even though they are loud, there’s no need to be afraid of them.
Next time you hear the loud buzz of cicadas, you’ll know it’s all part of their special way of finding a partner. It’s amazing how nature has its own unique ways of helping animals communicate!
Sound Experiment: Try making your own “cicada sound” using simple materials at home. Take a small plastic container and a rubber band. Stretch the rubber band around the container and pluck it to make a sound. Notice how the sound changes when you stretch the rubber band tighter or looser. Discuss with your friends or family how this experiment is similar to how cicadas use their tymbals to make sounds.
Nature Observation: Go on a nature walk with an adult and listen for cicadas or other insects. Try to identify the different sounds you hear. Can you hear any cicadas? If so, how loud are they? Discuss why you think they might be making those sounds. If you don’t hear any cicadas, think about why that might be. Is it the wrong time of year, or are you in a place where cicadas don’t live?
Creative Drawing: Draw a picture of a cicada and label its body parts, especially the tymbals. Imagine and draw a concert where cicadas are the performers. What would the audience look like? Share your drawing with your class and explain how cicadas use their tymbals to make music to attract mates.
If you live anywhere near cicadas, you probably know that they are really loud—very loud! In fact, if you get close to a tree filled with male cicadas, the sound levels can reach 100 dB, which is approximately the same intensity of noise as a hair dryer, forklift, or subway train. However, cicadas aren’t being noisy just to annoy their neighbors; it’s an essential part of their mating process.
Unlike crickets and katydids, which produce their chirps by rubbing their back legs together, male cicadas have special organs called tymbals that allow them to create their distinctive sound. One tymbal is located on each side of the abdomen and is connected to the tymbal muscles inside the cicada’s body. When these muscles rapidly contract and release, they pull on the ribbed tymbals, causing them to click and resonate against the air sacs in their thorax and abdomen.
