Cicada (Annual)

About the Cicada (Annual)

Unlike their periodical cousins, annual cicadas appear every year. They have the loudest insect sounds - some species produce 120 dB at close range. They feed on tree sap through needle-like mouthparts for 2-5 years underground as nymphs. Males have specialized organs called tymbals that vibrate to produce sound. They are eaten as delicacies in many cultures worldwide. Over 3,000 species described. Each species has a unique song. The Greek poet Homer mentioned cicadas in the Iliad.