Cricket Summer

Snowy Tree Cricket (Oecanthus fultoni)

Northern Katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia)

Dog Day Cicada (Tibicen canicularis)

For me, true summer begins when the crickets, katydids and cicadas start singing, specifically, the Snowy Tree Cricket (Oecanthus fultoni), Northern Katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia) and Dog Day Cicada (Tibicen canicularis). This year, like everything else, they are about two weeks early and how wonderful is that?

This is also the time of Fireflies (Lampyridae), Little Brown Bats (Myotis lucifugus), sweetly scented Night-Blooming Woodland Tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) and fragrant Black Plums (Prunus domestica).

But the crickets, cicadas and katydids leave me spellbound. Talk about an Electric Light Orchestra. At times the very air seems to vibrate with the sounds of their low chorus and high pitched buzz.