Cicada sound is considered to be the loudest form of an insect song. Cicadas are insects under the order of Hemiptera and classified to be grouped under the suborder of Auchenorrhyncha and are collectively within the family genus of Cicadoidea.

Cicadas are insects known to produce a distinct sound audibly prominent on nocturnal setting. Physically, these insects have large eyes which are paired at horizontal distance attached on a small head with wings that are translucent alike flies. These physical attributes does not qualify to be the cause of its deafening resonance. Cicada sounds are scientifically recorded to be reaching a 100 decibel and is considered to be the loudest sound that one can produce in the insect family. Cicadas have distinct sounds which they use to interact with their league, but what voices the loudest are the male cicadas.

Male cicadas specifically adults structurally have bi-ribbed membranes which are termed as Tymbals. These tymbals are apportioned to opposite sides of the first segment of the abdominal section. What creates the cicada sound is the procedural contraction of the tymbal muscle. The cicada holds the bi-ribbed membrane towards the inside which makes a single and loud click sound. After the click, the membrane is released from its hold-point and reverts back to its normal position and yet again creates another click sound. Having two tymbals, the cicada controls its contraction at intervals. It doesn’t contract and click at the same time but is does alternately. At this point the clicking sound created only counts at low audible levels. The process of sound amplification is done through and within the air sacs that is located in the abdominal cavity on the hollow portion. The sound resonates through the hollow cavity at quick milliseconds and is directed to the tympani. The tympani serves as the main amplifier which heightens vibration levels and deliver the cicada sound as much as 100 decibels.

The process of producing these sounds is attributed to the pre-mating season of cicadas. The sounding of cicadas specifically the male ones are theorized as cicada singing. Male cicadas sing to attract female cicadas and oftentimes termed as cicada love songs since they serenade female cicadas and entice them to undergo mating.

Cicada sound is distinctively heard and distinguished on nocturnal circumstances. These sounds are largely massive. A male cicada can produce a sound of about 100 decibels, thus when sung or voiced aggregately with other male cicadas, the sound then becomes deafening. Male cicadas usually gather in units and counts to over a thousand male cicadas. They sing in chorus but communally sing at a single tone and pulse. The process of cicada sounding is not limited to a stationary halt instead it mobiles itself to be singing while it flies, hovers and lands on different trees and plants.

Cicada sound is not limited to the male singing but is also classified with the female responses. A female cicada responds to the male attraction by maneuvering its wings to create flicking sounds. This process is scientifically termed as female-wing-flick. This entails rapid wing movement that creates a continuous sound. The male cicada then observes this manner and then assumes that the female displays positive attraction, the male then further enhances its sound by reacting with more of the clicking of his tymbals. This then makes a sound duet for both the female and male cicada, hence concludes the pre-mating rituals of cicadas and mates eventually.

Cicada sounds are collectively produced sounds by the female and male cicadas. But mainly the cicada sound is recognized and commonly attributed to only the male ones.