Why Are Cicadas So Noisy?

Cicadas are interesting little bugs. They spend many years underground, just to come up for a few weeks to breed. In that time period, they manage to become quite a nuisance. For the most part, these little pests are relatively unproblematic. They don't bite or sting, don't carry diseases that can harm humans, and don't usually destroy gardens. Despite this, they're a huge pest for one singular reason: their song. Male cicadas use their sound to attract mates that could be far away, and their volume helps them be heard for quite a distance and over other sounds.

Unfortunately, this same evolutionary trait also makes them very disliked. Cicadas aren't quiet creatures. In fact, their sound is sometimes described as ear-splitting. It sounds a little like an insect buzz, but it can also almost resemble an electrical hum. Each species releases a slightly different noise, but all are loud. The sound comes from their tymbals.

According to Science, cicadas have two tymbals each, which are similar to our own ribs. The journal explains how they produce sound: "A muscle pulls all the tymbal ribs inward and together. The ribs make a short, sharp noise when they draw together and again when they snap apart." That produced sound is what you hear, and why it can quickly turn into noise, as you need to multiply that single two-part snap by an average of 350 times per second. And that's for one cicada. If there's a group of males in one area, the sound can reach over 90 decibels – the same level as a tractor, a power drill, or a gas-powered lawn mower.

If these insects are driving you to the brink of madness, there are a few things you can try to keep them under control. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to get rid of cicadas. Even if they sound close by, they may actually be farther than you expect. Sometimes, you can hear them up to a half mile away.

Still, it doesn't hurt to try. There are a few simple methods you can give a shot. For example, one of the easy ways to keep cicadas out of your yard is to try to spray them with a garden hose. It doesn't have to be strong, but just enough to get their attention and nudge them to find somewhere else to sit. General yard maintenance, like trimming tree branches and covering up roots where they will want to lay their eggs, is also beneficial.

You can attract animals to your yard that eat cicadas as well, such as birds and certain species of wasps. This may encourage the bugs to move somewhere safer, or at least quiet down some so they aren't caught. However, you need to pay attention to signs that the cicada killers in your yard have gone from helpful to harmful, as too many can cause damage. Not to mention, birds aren't exactly quiet, either, and could end up being just as big a disturbance early in the morning.

Unfortunately, while these methods may help a little, they aren't perfect, and it's unlikely to get rid of all of the them. Sometimes, no matter what you do, the cicadas just won't go far enough away that you'll be safe from their noisy calls. In some cases, it may be better to try and work with the sound the best you can. Thankfully, these little bugs are most active in the middle of the day. So at least their sound won't disturb you when you're trying to sleep. Earplugs and noise-canceling headphones can help mute the worst of it. 

You may also want to stop doing activities, though, that could be bringing the cicadas around. One such activity? Running your power tools or a lawn mower, this according to Cicada Mania on YouTube, a dedicated cicada channel started in 2011. It's not the similar decibels of the power tools, but, as Cicada Mania explains, the vibrations of the running tools that may be what's attracting noisy cicadas to your yard. The solution is to simply switch around when you carry out these tasks, at least during cicada season. Remember, they're most active when it's warmest, so try shifting your yard work to early morning and/or the evening.

And, lastly, on a culinary note, there are recipes. You can find online ways to prepare cicadas for a quick protein bite, which could make for a fun and daring snack. Thankfully, if these little insects are still driving you insane, you don't have long to wait. When they emerge, cicadas tend to die off in about a month.