Here in the American Midwest, the hot, humid air of summer tends to suppress birdsong (as well as human activity); nevertheless, some distinctive sounds of the season persist: the croak of bullfrogs, the "fiddling" of crickets and the sharp "peent" of common nighthawks come to mind.
But the dominant chorus of summer is that of annual cicadas, echoing through the woodlands from mid July through early September. While not nearly as abundant as periodic cicadas, which emerge in late spring every 13 or 17 years, the annual species can produce an annoying background din at times.
On the other hand, their chorus is nostalgic for those of us who grew up in cicada country and who would deny these insects their brief, noisy time in the sun? Having spent several years underground as a grub, drawing nutrition from a tree root, they have but a couple weeks to mate and lay eggs before they die. Besides, the heat-fueled cicada chorus indicates that summer is half over, a welcome sign for those of us who prefer cool weather.
But the dominant chorus of summer is that of annual cicadas, echoing through the woodlands from mid July through early September. While not nearly as abundant as periodic cicadas, which emerge in late spring every 13 or 17 years, the annual species can produce an annoying background din at times.
On the other hand, their chorus is nostalgic for those of us who grew up in cicada country and who would deny these insects their brief, noisy time in the sun? Having spent several years underground as a grub, drawing nutrition from a tree root, they have but a couple weeks to mate and lay eggs before they die. Besides, the heat-fueled cicada chorus indicates that summer is half over, a welcome sign for those of us who prefer cool weather.
