What Does That Buzz of the Cicada Mean? First Frost Coming in Weeks
Hearing the buzz of cicadas in the summer is not uncommon in South Dakota. Hearing the constant buzz while sitting around the fire pit over the weekend brought on the locust vs. cicada debate. It's a slightly older debate than the Ford vs. Chevy.
So what could this mean? Well, if weather folklore has a say in this it means from the first stirrings of the cicada to the first frost of the year is only 6 weeks away. Since we first heard them in late July, we should see the first frost by mid-September.
So are we sure we're hearing the buzz of cicadas? Are we sure they're not locusts? Don't cicadas only wake up every 17 years? While this is true for a specific species of cicadas, South Dakota is home to over a dozen species of the cicada family. Some of them like to wake up early in small batches and begin buzzing.
I had to brush up on my entomology to pull that one out.
By the way, that buzzing noise is actually made by the males who like to vibrate their membranes on their abdomens in hopes of attracting a mate. We used to see that at Buck's Roadhouse, too. Right around 1:00 AM or so.
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