dog-day cicada

Dog-day cicadas, also known as annual cicadas or harvest flies, are large insects found in North America. Unlike periodical cicadas, they do not have synchronized life cycles, meaning adults are present every year. Male dog-day cicadas produce loud, trilling sounds, primarily to establish territory and attract females. They achieve this volume using a tymbal organ, a specialized membrane on their abdomen that vibrates rapidly. These sounds are characteristic of mid- to late summer. Cicadas have a life cycle that includes egg, nymph, and adult stages, with nymphs developing underground for two to five years before emerging as adults who live only a few weeks.123