Cicada Update

This is an unscheduled posting, prompted by an observation in Nowra again over the weekend. A few weeks ago I discussed cicadas here, after a previous visit there when the dominant - indeed only evident - species there was the hyper-abundant Redeye.

This time I found what appears to be the beginning of the emergence of another species, the magnificent Double Drummer Thopha saccata. I am tempted to use the term 'fearsome' because the volume of sound produced by this one is startling, even relative to the massed choirs of Redeyes. In an area of dry forest my eardrums literally seemed to be vibrating with the sound (well fair enough though, I guess that's what eardrums do!).

My cicada book, M.S. Moulds' Australian Cicadas 1990, describes the song as "Particularly loud... When populations are large the noise is almost unbearable to be near... On very hot days singing continues for many minutes with only occasional momentary breaks." I certainly don't feel inclined to dispute any of that; bird watching was nearly impossible, as I was pretty much unable to hear their calls.

Double Drummer.

The choir gathers; the Redeyes still have the numbers, but two Double Drummers can be seen at the bottom, and a couple more higher up. Soon enough they'll have the majority.

As I've said before though, I can't really begrudge them, as they've only got four weeks to eat, drink, sing and otherwise make merry.

BACK TOMORROW