Summer in Florida. It’s as defined by the heat as it is by the sounds of Florida cicadas almost everywhere you turn. How much do you really know about this signature summer sound, or the creature itself for that matter?
Demystifying the Sound
Florida cicadas are well known for their very loud calls that seem to echo throughout the warmest months of the year. Cicadas make their calls with what are called timbals. Timbals are paired-like formations that are on the undersides of their abdomen. A muscle that’s attached to the timbal plate causes the timbale ribs to go inward when it decreases in size. This lets the ribs go outward when it rests. Some cicadas produce their loud calls by causing their ribs to go inward and some types make the sound when their ribs move both in and out. Only the males have timbals, which they mostly use as a mating call. All cicadas, though, can make soft sounds which they produce by their wing flips.
Understanding the Life Cycle
Immature cicadas live underground and feed on the xylem sap of roots from woody plants, flowering plants or grasses. Very little is known about how long they stay underground except that it can be anywhere from two to about ten years. When they become adults they will make their way to the surface, climb up on a tree trunk or an herb stem and then attach themselves with their tarsal claws and molt to become adults. Adult cicadas only live on the surface. Adults are very strong fliers and spend most of their time in the trees where they feed, mate and reproduce. It is their loud mating calls that make them so distinctive and helps signal they’re in the area even if they can’t be seen.
Don’t be surprised when the sound of cicadas punctuates your summer. Contact Slug-A-Bug for more information on Florida cicadas.