Cicadas

Cicadas (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadidae) are true bug insects, best known for the songs sung by most, but not all, male cicadas. Males sing by flexing their tymbals, which are drum-like organs found in their abdomens. Small muscles rapidly pull the tymbals in and out of shape. The sound is intensified by the cicada's mostly hollow abdomen.

Dog-Day Cicada
Seen frequently on the hottest days of the summer, the Dog-Day Cicada is a harmless insect that happens to be a delightful food item for many other animals. Raccoons, wasps and other insects feast on the cicada all season long. Adult cicadas have a call that sounds like a circular saw tearing through wood, and in large numbers, that noise can be almost deafening during the day and at night.

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