Cicadas: Pear Trees

Brood XIV of 17 year cicadas emerged on 19 May 2025 in the Bluegrass region of central Kentucky, USA. It was a few days before they began singing. Over the course of about 2 weeks, the singing increased, and was at its peak in the afternoons. At first each insect was swelling at his own rate, but over the course of several days, the swelling became synchronized.

This recording was made on 4 June 2025, beginning at 16:29, in a suburban neighborhood, below 2 pear trees containing hundreds, if not thousands, of 17 year cicadas. Temperature was about 30.5 degrees Celsius. Very little wind. In addition tot he cicadas, you may hear a distant lawn mower, a small dog and a persistent robin.

Microphone was a Joesphson C700S, with the axis aimed vertically into the trees. MS output was encoded to LR stereo in post. Field recorder was a Sound Devices MixPre 10-2.