The familiar summer sound of cicadas is produced only by males, which generate loud calling songs to attract mates and sometimes to ward off rivals.
Who sings and why
In most cicada species only males produce the loud, sustained calling sounds used for mate attraction, territorial signalling and occasional alarm, producing the characteristic late‑summer chorus heard in many regions.
How they produce sound
Males make noise with specialised structures called tymbals, drum‑like membranes at the base of the abdomen that are rapidly buckled by muscles to create powerful vibrations and the species‑specific songs used in communication.
Why hot days are louder
Higher temperatures increase cicada activity and speed up the muscles that drive their tymbals, so hot weather often produces louder and more frequent calling, making the insect chorus especially intense on warm summer days.
Audibility and range
The combined effect of many males calling together and the tymbal’s efficient sound production enables cicada songs to carry over considerable distances, making them audible across neighbourhoods and countryside during peak summer activity.
Takeaway
The quintessential sound of summer from cicadas comes from males using tymbals to call for mates, with heat amplifying their activity and producing the loud seasonal chorus many people recognise.