Cicadetta montana

Cicadetta montana (also known as the <a href="/facts/New_Forest/D5F8ERhh">New Forest</a> cicada) is a species of <a href="/facts/Cicadetta/7vBjhzBw">Cicadetta</a> found throughout Europe and in parts of Asia.
It is regarded as endangered over large parts of Europe, and has vanished from several areas in Western Europe.
It is the only cicada species native to <a href="/facts/England/U9mE5bGL">England</a> and <a href="/facts/Finland/G5Ak6T91">Finland</a> (Åminnefors in <a href="/facts/Pohja/5FC0cxeo">Pohja</a>).
The adult females inject their eggs into the stems of food plants, and, when the larvae emerge, they burrow underground and as <a href="/facts/Nymph_(biology)/3LjQyPSG">nymphs</a> feeding on root sap. These underground cycles may last many years, differing for each species.
Females have a body measuring about 50 mm in length, with the males being much smaller. It has transparent wings with prominent veins, folded over the back when at rest, and a dark slate-grey or black body with dull orange rings around the abdomen. The legs are marked with dull orange as are the leading edges of the wings (costae).
As with all cicadas, the males produce the shrill, buzzing calls by rapidly flexing drumhead-like membranes, while the females are limited to producing clicks. 
The call of C montana sounds like static hiss to the unaided human ear and is sustained with relatively short lulls at irregular intervals. Their shrilling was venerated by the ancient Greeks, but detested by <a href="/facts/Virgil/K9zjwwHS">Virgil</a>.

Cicadetta montana open-in-new

Cicadetta montana