A few people have asked me if cicadas sing at night. The truth is, in most cases they do not. Most of the time when you hear an insect at night it is a cricket or katydid. However, there are a few cases when cicadas will sing at night:
- In the presence of artificial light sources, like streetlights & flood lights, or a full moon. I turned on a flood light tonight to test this and it worked: a cicada started to sing.
- When it’s extraordinarily hot.
- If the cicada is disturbed or attacked.
- If they’re overcrowded
Thanks to John Cooley for most of this information.
Visit the the Songs of Insects audio page web site for sound clips of katydids and crickets.
I think the answer may vary by region. Here in East Texas the cicadas chorus at night, and the sound is not likely to be confused with crickets or katydids.
There’s a little sound clip of cicadas at http://pulseplanet.nationalgeographic.com/ax/archives/01_naturetemplate.cfm?programnumber=2158
Comment by Thomas Bryner — July 30, 2005 @ 5:58 am
why is the moon artificial?
Comment by jonathan — January 19, 2010 @ 5:16 pm
I took cicadas that singing in night. it was very interesting to see singing cicada in the night. first i thought these are crickets. i couldn’t recorde calling song of cicada bc cicadas acculamate on a tree. there are more than 30 singing cicadas on a tree. it was out of city in gardens and deserts.
Comment by maedeh mehdipour — June 28, 2012 @ 6:46 pm
The moon is full and stars light the sky
and sing their song to the child below.
High in trees shining eyes see the child below.
It is late and the wind blows cold and cicadas sleep
and in their dreams hear night night from the child below.
My wife told me as a little girl she thought it was the stars singing. Regards DB
Comment by David — March 23, 2013 @ 7:06 pm