Ever wonder how cicadas make the sound they make? Look no further than this article: What the buzz was all about: superfast song muscles rattle the tymbals of male periodical cicadas. You’ll final many paragraphs of information, but most importantly, macro photos, illustrations and even 3D models of working cicada muscles and membranes.

Thanks to Roy Troutman for this find.

Pia Öberg from Sweden took this cicada photo back in 2004 at Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia NP in Brazil. Thanks to Roy Troutman and cicada expert Allen Sanborn we were able to ID this pretty cicada as a Carineta diardi (Guérin-Méneville, 1829).

Some more links for you:

More information about cicadas in Brazil. Includes a picture of a C. diardi. Apparently cicadas compromise coffee plants in Brazil. (Fine with me — I quit drinking coffee for New Years).

A Flash Cartoon of the “A cigarra e a formiga” story. It’s the fable of the cicada and the ants; ants work all summer while the cicada plays — then come winter, the ants are prepared, but lazy cicada is hungry and out in the cold.

More of Pia’s photos on Flickr.

What a fun way to start the New Year. Happy New Year cicada maniacs!