Who makes that loud noise at night? Let's learn about cicadas!

Have you ever heard a strange, loud noise coming from your garden, especially in the evening? It sounds like a small machine is running. Most of the time, the person responsible for this noise is an insect called a cicada. Even though you may not have heard of this name, this animal is also found in our country. But don't worry, apart from this noise, cicadas are usually harmless creatures. Let's talk a little about this strange friend today.

Who are these cicadas?

Simply put, cicadas are a family of insects that emerge in the summer. The easiest way to identify them is by the loud noise that the males make. As for their appearance, each type of cicada can vary in size and color. But in general, they look like this.

An amazing life cycle!

The life cycle of cicadas is quite amazing. The female uses her spiky body to make small holes in the branches of trees and lays her eggs inside. The nymphs that hatch from these eggs fall directly to the ground, go underground and begin their lives. Imagine, these nymphs live underground for years, sucking the sap from the roots of trees.

When the time comes, these young emerge from the ground and climb up a nearby tree or pole. There they shed their skin-like covering (molting) and emerge as winged, tiny creatures. You've probably seen these bare spines clinging to tree trunks.

A few days after becoming sexually mature, the males begin to make their famous call. This is actually their invitation to mate . After mating, the female lays eggs. Some species can lay up to 600 eggs in their lifetime. Once they emerge from the ground as nymphs, they usually live for a short time, about three to four weeks.

What are the main types of cicadas?

Although there are many types of cicadas, they can be mainly divided into two groups.

1. Annual Cicadas: These are so named because although their young remain underground for two to five years, a group emerges from the ground every year. These are the annual cicadas that are found in our country. They are usually green, brown, and black in color.

2. Periodical Cicadas: This is the most amazing type. These people stay underground for years, sometimes 13 or 17 years , and then come out of the ground in millions at a time. This is one of the most amazing natural phenomena in the world. But this is mainly seen only in North America . This type is not found in our country. They are usually small animals with a black body and red eyes.

Are we having any trouble with cicadas?

This is the most important thing. Although the sound of cicadas can be a bit annoying, they do not harm people or pets like your dog or cat.

• Cicadas don't bite people.
• They are not poisonous.
• They don't spread diseases either.

So if a cicada bites you, there's no reason to be afraid. The creature won't harm you.

However, they can have a small impact on trees. When the females lay their eggs on the branches of trees, they can cause minor damage to those branches. This impact can be especially felt on newly planted, small plants and trees .

So what do we do?

Since cicadas are part of the ecosystem, it is not a good idea to try to kill them. In particular, you should avoid using chemical pesticides. This can harm not only the cicadas, but also other beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies, and animals such as birds that eat these animals.

Just take a little care of the newly planted small trees in your garden.

• Such trees can be covered with netting or cheesecloth during cicada abundance. This will prevent the females from laying eggs on the branches.
• Cutting and removing small branches that have been damaged by egg laying can help reduce future infestations.
• If you are planting new trees, it is best to wait until the loud noise of the cicadas has subsided and plant them at the end of summer.

Cicada, insects, insect sounds, nocturnal animals, environment, damage to trees