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It had to be a male, because they're the ones with the resonance chambers. :)

I don't know how to tell them apart without cutting them open as you did, however. I guess if the male and the female are around the same size the female would be heavier. But that would require two specimens, and it's hard enough to find them already. :p

 
Not that rare... Ive encountered them countless times in TX. They are everywhere you find Pecan trees. There is a connection between the two, though at the moment I'm to tired to research why. Needless to say, the males are hollow resonance chambers cuz they make so much damn noise. In order to attract a female they pretty much make a constant ReeeeeeeeuuuRRReeeeeeeeeeuuuRRReeeeeeeeuuRRR all night long, and a real pain for folks with a pecan tree. Its not hard to distinguish from any other sound known to man other than maybe the siren of a french police car. As a kid I would find them and tie a string to them and then tie the string to something and watch them fly around in circles. I never got over how dumb they are :p

 
It had to be a male, because they're the ones with the resonance chambers. :) I don't know how to tell them apart without cutting them open as you did, however. I guess if the male and the female are around the same size the female would be heavier. But that would require two specimens, and it's hard enough to find them already. :p
An easy way to tell the sexes apart is by the sound-producing organs on the underside: males have them, females don't. They are large circular plates attached to the ventral side of the thorax, overlapping the abdomen. Also, if it squawks at you, it's a male!

Some comparison pics here: http://www.mechaworx.com/Cicada/vspecies.asp

 
Not that rare... Ive encountered them countless times in TX. They are everywhere you find Pecan trees. There is a connection between the two, though at the moment I'm to tired to research why. Needless to say, the males are hollow resonance chambers cuz they make so much damn noise. In order to attract a female they pretty much make a constant ReeeeeeeeuuuRRReeeeeeeeeeuuuRRReeeeeeeeuuRRR all night long, and a real pain for folks with a pecan tree. Its not hard to distinguish from any other sound known to man other than maybe the siren of a french police car. As a kid I would find them and tie a string to them and then tie the string to something and watch them fly around in circles. I never got over how dumb they are :p
ha ha, tie a string, u r too much! I do have a pecan tree!

 
Not that rare... Ive encountered them countless times in TX. They are everywhere you find Pecan trees. There is a connection between the two, though at the moment I'm to tired to research why. Needless to say, the males are hollow resonance chambers cuz they make so much damn noise. In order to attract a female they pretty much make a constant ReeeeeeeeuuuRRReeeeeeeeeeuuuRRReeeeeeeeuuRRR all night long, and a real pain for folks with a pecan tree. Its not hard to distinguish from any other sound known to man other than maybe the siren of a french police car. As a kid I would find them and tie a string to them and then tie the string to something and watch them fly around in circles. I never got over how dumb they are :p
My dad used to do that as a kid too. He says its loads of fun. I'll try that soon! :D

 
I've never seen an adult before. I just here the stupid things all summer. I occasionally see a grub sitting in a hole in the grass, and constantly see the weird sheddings on trees and walls, but never an adult.

 
Pretty piercing, eh? Imagine having to live in that. Sounds of the rainforest.

We get a few of the charming buzzing ones here, in local trees. Strangely, my wife cannot seem to hear in that frequency so I enjoy it alone. (she hears everything else though)

 
Where my parents live in Mexico they call them Rainbirds because they appear with the rains, each year. They recorded the sound these make. If anybody wants to hear it they can download it from my site at the following link:(click download, then open)

http://bugsincyberspace.com/Rain_Bird.wav
I heard that here in Malaysia for 3 days straight. Real headache! :blink:

 

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