What's the Buzz?

There are all kinds of critters down south; one insect we don't have in the pacific northwest is the cicada. They love warm weather so this is the place for them! Their mating call sounds like an electronic hum to me - and they are loud! Check out these websites to hear them (copy & paste).
http://www.cicadamania.com/audio/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mah26og11ms&feature=related

Cicadas are probably best known for their buzzing and clicking noises, which can be amplified by multitudes of insects into an overpowering hum. Males produce this species-specific noise with vibrating membranes on their abdomens. The sounds vary widely and some species are more musical than others. Though cicada noises may sound alike to humans, the insects use different calls to express alarm or attract mates. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/cicada/

I have been learning all about gardening in the south. As quickly as plants grow here, they can be eaten overnight by insects, worms, deer and rabbits. As soon as I find a repellent for one, another pest comes along to take his place and they are all voracious eaters. However, not all the critters are annoying, I love to listen to the birds sing in the morning, the crickets chirp at night, watch the hummingbirds at the feeder, and multiple colorful butterflies and birds like the eastern bluebirds in the back yard.