Summer of Singing Cicadas

Cicadas show up every summer. Semi is the japanese word for cicada. The ugly insect is the most efficient and loudest sound-producing insects in existence. But only the male sings to attract the females and different species have different songs so that they don't attract the wrong females. The loud noise produced by some cicadas actually repels birds. The males of many cicada varieties tend to group together when calling which increases the total volume of noise and reduces the chances of being eaten by birds.

Most cicadas go through a life cycle that lasts between two to five years (some varieties upto 17 years). Most of this time, the nymphs (hatchlings) burrow underground. During the nymph stage, cicadas normally shed their skin four times, the last of these skins are the ones we find on the trunks of trees (above).

Adult cicadas live for only 2 to 4 weeks, during which this time mating taking place.

Please refer this site for pictures of different japanese cicada varieties :
http://homepage2.nifty.com/saisho/Zikade-e.html

I hate cicadas. The chirping and the buzzing of cicadas drive me nuts. There are cicada killer wasps (another robust, giant insect but a solitary wasp). Cicada killer females use their sting to paralyze their prey (a paralyzed cicada, top). The female wasps are non-aggressive, harmless to human and rarely sting unless disturbed.

This picture was taken near the Kawaramachi-Oike junction. On the way cycling home after drinking session with a group of friends last night.