Cicada sings

A cicada disoriented by the carpark buzzer lands on the window screen of our apartment in Seoul and sings twice before we discover that it's closer than we thought.

Anticipating that it would sing again, we waited more than 15 minutes for it to happen, which seems not too long when you know the insect has been waiting in the ground for more than 15 years to get it on. The volume it mustered on this clip was considerably weaker than its previous two performances, but it still has serious chops.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• cicada
• song

[bfbcguns]

no cicada on earth bites, stings, or does anything else harmful to a human being.

[jakvid]

I don't see a claim to the contrary being made here. Did you confuse "sings" with "stings"?

[mor2681]

Great song! Most species of cicadas come out every year. The 17-year and 13-year cicadas live in North America, there are none in Asia.

[jakvid]

You are the first person I have encountered to claim this about these Korean cicadas. Can you cite entomological scientific documentation for it? If so, there is a serious job of debunking to be done here in Korea. Thanks for the comment.

[jakvid]

Thanks for the info on species. What physical details would you need to identify this one, presuming the sound isn't sufficient?

[Medical8]

According to information a picked up, only the male sings. The female is attracted by the song.

[mazmorris]

the phone companies must do a ringtone based on the cicada song:)

[MrJuancarlosferrero]

singing start at 6:14

[xSeptycaL]

Dubstep???

[KakuKachoO]

Live underground for 17 years, mature and come out.

Fly and enjoy freedom for 2 weeks and die.

like a boss

[bpckplay92]

to be honest they are super annoying. I would've hit it off my screen and let it fall to its death if it couldn't fly :)

[cavanmans]

Thank you,I would have waited too.:) even longer if needed.The 16 year brood is coming soon,I cant wait.

[epb471]

@mor2681 No other cicadas outside of North America have been discovered to have such a long life cycle. (13 or 17yrs. Magicicada species only) Cicadas come out annually all over the world and most annual species have between a 2-9 year life cycle. This includes the annual, not periodical North American cicadas too.

[xKawaiiKiwi]

the sounds of the cicadas got their name "me-mi" because the sounds korean cicadas make are like mem--mem--meeeehh haha

[Caidling]

that reminded me of the cicadas you hear int he anime higurashi =o was COOL!!!

[artisanrox]

yes, that was worth the wait! Sounded very machine-like. And LOUD.  And wow...that's only ONE.

[ChatterMic]

I hear them all the time.