Spring Is Here

On 10 September 2017 we heard the first Northern Green Grocers, Cyclochila virens Distant, Cicadidae, of the year in our piece of rainforest.

Singing commenced at 6.35 pm (Eastern Standard Time), shortly after dark and continued for less than 15 minutes. The nightly serenade will continue for several months and start a few seconds later each night until by summer the singing begins around 7.15 pm. The intriguing bit is that it could not possibly be the same adults singing for months and months but newly emerged individuals replacing the oldies. So what is the explanation for the later and later starts and how is this information is received. Could temperature and/or day length be responsible for this behaviour. I'm sure someone has studied this for this large, iconic Queensland insect.

Reference
Moulds, M., 1990. Australian Cicadas. 217 Pp. New South Wales University Press, Kensington, NSW.