Surrounded by Cicadas, as they sit in the trees calling a mate, sometimes the continuous sound becomes so loud we don’t hear it anymore. But it don’t bug me!
Fethiye is surrounded by forests, the perfect home for thousands of Cicada. Typically living in trees and feeding on the tree sap, once mated the Cicada female uses the bark of the tree in which to lay her eggs, you may hear them but they are often difficult to spot as they are very well camouflaged.
Active mainly during the day however some adults will call at dawn or dusk. Cicadas can hear this mating call for over a mile. However, only a few species are known to be nocturnal.
Cicadas need trees to survive, and it the hardwood trees or woody shrubs that they are looking for. They do not damage trees by eating the leaves like many other insects, but they sometimes damage tender tree branches as they lay their eggs.
Once these eggs hatch the nymph’s (young Cicada) fall to the ground where they bury themselves as deep as 2 ft. into the earth and it is here they stay and develop going through many changes.
Different varieties of Cicada can stay underground anywhere between 2 to 17 years, living off of the sap and juices of the roots of the tree that they fell from, after emerging as a fully grown nymph, they will climb the nearest available vertical surface where they will shed their nymph exoskeleton, their wings will spread and their adult skin will become hard. As adults they are ready to mate and the calling starts again. After mating, a female will choose a tree to safely lay her eggs. She uses a saw-like appendage called an ovipositor to insert her eggs into the bark. The lifespan of a fully grown male or female after emergence is approximately four to six weeks.
With so many emerging from the ground at the same time they are a delicious feast for many animals. This includes birds, rodents, snakes, lizards, and sometimes fish. Domestic pets—cats and dogs—will also sometimes eat them.
How do they make such a racket?
The cicada’s sound is made by contracting its internal tymbal muscles (an internal membrane that many insects use to vibrate sound). Causing the membranes to buckle inward, producing a distinct sound. When these muscles relax, the tymbals pop back to their original position. Male cicadas in the same brood will call in unison in order to increase the total volume of noise.
Cicadas are known to dislike the smells of peppermint, vinegar, and eucalyptus, spraying your trees and plants with these will keep them at bay and won’t harm the vegetation.
Throughout the summer months the sounds of the Cicada are an integral part of life, and the summers here wouldn’t be the same without this natural orchestra.
Each summer you will hear this wondrous chorus if you decide to buy your dream home near the pine forests that surround Fethiye, here are a few links to some amazing properties that are in idyllic locations.
