| Length: | Leg: 2 – 5 cm. Head to body: average 7 cm. Wingspan: 18 – 20 cm. |
| Life cycle: | Average: 2-17 year. (depending on the species) |
Cicada
Cicadidae
Description:
There are over 2500 species of cicada in the world. Cicadas have large compound eyes on each side of the head; they also have three very small glistening simple eyes on the top of the head, and transparent wellveined wings. Most cicadas found in Thailand are brown or grey with patches of green, however they can also have other colors.
Cicadas live in temperate to tropical climates, where they are one of the most widely recognized of all insects due to their large size and remarkable (and often inescapable) acoustic talents. Only the males of the species make such a loud noise, trying to attract females. The sounds vary a lot from one species to the other and are actually the result of a vibration of the tymbal (special membranes) in the abdomen of the male specimen. At close range the volume of the cicada’s love calls can be up to 120dB, similar to the volume of an aircraft taking off.
Did you know...?
… that different cicada species follow an unspoken agreement not to sing all at the same time? This collective noise would not only be deafening, but also leading to females not being able to find males of the right species.
