Sounds of late summer and fall

"Something else I have noticed is that the cicadas will start their singing earlier and earlier as summer winds down. At the beginning of the season, they start around 8-9 pm. By the end of the season, you can hear them at 2 in the afternoon. Anyone know why (or care?)!"

Good observation.

As I mentioned above, the Scissor Grinder is the first cicada to start "singing" around our West Toledo home. When the first one(s) begin singing at the end of June or the beginning of July, it's always after 8:00 p.m.

Later in the summer at their peak, a few Scissor Grinders will start singing in the early afternoon, but they still do the bulk of their singing in the evening, after 6:00 p.m. In the late summer, so many Scissor Grinders are singing in the evening, that it nearly sounds like one constant sound. It's hard to single them out.

The Dog Day Cicada will start singing by mid to late morning.

The Swamp Cicada will also start singing in the morning.

I'm guessing it depends upon the species. Some cicadas prefer to sing in the morning and afternoon, and others prefer to sing in the evening. Why the time-of-day preferences? I don't know.

Crickets and katydids are additional late summer/early fall singing insects that you can identify by their song. And some sing during the day while others prefer the night.

If you hear a clicking sound overhead during the day, it's probably the Greater Anglewing Katydid. And you may see it hanging around on the porch. It looks like a leggy leaf turned sideways. Bright green and at least two inches long, it's noticeable. This insect also sings at night.

The katydid song that is probably most familiar to people is the Common True Katydid. It sings mainly at night. It has a raspy song. And it sings its name: 'kay-tee ... kay-tee-did.'

A fairly common, loud, daytime-singing cricket that you can find in vegetation around your home or in any park is Phyllopalpus pulchellus, which means "beautiful leaf-feeder." This insect has at least a couple common names, such as Red-headed Bush Cricket and Handsome Trig.

It's amazing how loud the Handsome Trig can sing because it's less than 1/2 inch long. It's tough to find even when you are close to one singing, but it's a fun challenge to track one down.

When signing, the Handsome Trig likes to position itself within a curled leaf that forms an amphitheater, which magnifies the sound.

Good blog to read: ohio birds and biodiversity

Post from the above blog: Handsome Trig

Up close and seen well, the handsome trig is like a miniature work of art. The reddish head and thorax contrasts sharply with the glossy black abdomen. The creature is shiny, as if it has been freshly shellacked.

... - only males "sing".

Like nearly all of their Orthopteran brethren - the singing insects - male trigs deliver song by rapidly rubbing their wings together. This species is noted for often singing from the depths of rolled leaves, which act as an echo chamber and amplify the volume of their sound.

Handsome trigs create a rather dry, rattling rapid trill and they sing throughout the day. The song can be remarkably loud for such a miniscule creature.

http://songsofinsects.com - crickets, cicadas, and katydids

• Singing Insects by Group
• Learn 20 Common Insect Songs (check range maps to ensure it's actually common in our area)

Of course, frogs and toads sing around our homes too. Occasionally, I hear a Fowler's Toad sing in our neighborhood at night. Its loud song carries well, and it definitely sounds strange for a sound in the city.

YouTube video of a singing Fowler's Toad