Cicadas emerging with softer song after noisy 2024

THE cicadas have woken up on the Coffs Coast and have started chittering, albeit quietly this year.

Last year, a deafening cacophony pulsated across the region, with human ears becoming attuned to the night-club-like volume that registered up to 120 decibels.

However, this year’s annual pre-Christmas cicada concert is proving easier on the ear.

News Of The Area asked cicada expert Professor David Emery why the cicadas have a softer song this year.

“After a massive plague of cicadas emerged in 2024 and their chorus deafened our barbecues and evening celebrations over the school holidays and festive season, this year is comparatively demure,” Prof. Emery said.

“We had a feeling that they had ‘overdone their celebrations’ last year, and this appears to be the case.

“Maybe they exhausted their stores of all those underground nymphs that were awaiting just the right climatic conditions to emerge and mate?

“Perhaps too, the fickle weather this Spring with its fluctuations of hot, stormy episodes for the northwest and then cold and blustery southerlies has discouraged them from tempting fate with these extremes?”

Prof. Emery reckons both reasons are likely.

So far, this season has seen fewer numbers of mostly smaller cicadas.

“Those hordes of larger noisy ones are also emerging more slowly but nowhere near the numbers seen last year.”

The scientist believes it is possible more will emerge if the weather settles into a relatively “normal” format over December and January, but the feeling from “reading the tea leaves” is “don’t count on it”.

“Many will be relieved that the cicada cacophony is absent this season and may be for several years to come, but they will return one day.”

By Andrea FERRARI