Below recording is the constant sound we are hearing outside these past couple of weeks in Virginia. These cicadas are identified as Brood II cicadas and started hatching… is that the word?… earlier this month, and they are filling the atmosphere with their mating song. After the mating, the new generation will bury themselves underground and remain in their larvae stage for another 17 years. The sound, which is almost like a white noise, is quite amazing to witness.
Here are a couple of great photos of the cicadas taken by a friend who is a gifted photographer. Click on the photos to check out her site… (or not. I was trying to properly credit her photos and link them to her blog, but she no longer blogs. yep. sad…)
Here’s a recent Radiolab (my favorite podcast) episode about the sounds of the cicadas.