Kids: Cicada symphony
Photo: autan
Cicadas are the large, long-winged insects that appear in early summer. They’re known for their pulsating, rasping songs that some compare to a tin can in a blender.
But how do they hear each other? They don’t seem to have ears …
Well, cicadas do indeed have ears – or rather, eardrums known as “tympana.” But you might not have noticed them since they’re on the underside of the cicada’s abdomen.
For periodical cicadas – one of the most common cicadas in the United States – song plays a major role in courtship. A group of males serenades their intended mates, and the females flock to the chorus. The females tend to listen silently. Scientists believe that female cicadas can distinguish between the calls of individual males. It’s possible they choose among their suitors based on the quality and quantity of their songs.
Male cicadas of many species seem to use their eardrums or tympana not so much to listen as to make more noise! The males radiate their calling songs through their eardrums. This cranks up the song’s volume, which helps the insect to broadcast over a much greater range.
