Cicadas Perfect Paragraph

    Dog Day Cicadas are one of the most common species of cicadas found in the United States. Research has shown that they use a specific mating call in order to attract females in hopes of performing reproduction. The sound is created by the panels beneath their wings, known as tymbals. The panels vibrate rapidly, and the sound is then intensified by the cicada’s mostly hollow abdomen. The main mating call is a high-pitched drone that lasts about 15 seconds, starting off softly and gradually growing louder into a crescendo, and then tapering off by the end. The sound is eerily similar to the sound of an electric saw. Female and male cicadas can also create sounds using their wings, but this sound is different and distinct. The reasoning for using this sound is unknown. We would like to determine whether or not this signal is also a part of the mating call, or is instead used in a different manner. Cicadas are not known for communicating anything other than their desire to mate, and our team would like to determine what else Dog Day Cicadas are trying to communicate. Resources available include data from the Texas A&M Forest Services, studies done by the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and other research journals done by the University of California, Irvine.