Cicadas at Kiptopeke

Did you know that there are a variety of different cicada species found on the Eastern Shore? Each species has a slightly different call, and a chorus of these insects can be heard from the platform each day. Occasionally we will also get visitors, such as the one pictured below. Cicadas begin life as nymphs which hatch out and stay underground, feeding on roots for years before they emerge and shed their exoskeletons. The shed skins can often be found attached to bark during the summer. Adult males produce that incredibly loud sound, which is intended to attract females, using ribbed membranes called tymbals located on the abdomen. A cicada's call can reach over 100 decibels!

-Anna