The cicada

The cicada, a mythical insect of the Mediterranean region

A mythical insect of the Mediterranean region, the cicada feeds on the sap of trees and shrubs, which it collects with its proboscis under its head.

In July and August, their singing livens up Mas de la Fontenette. This 4-star holiday rental in the Ardèche boasts a heated infinity pool on the edge of the Ardèche gorges and their famous Pont d’Arc.

Cicada reproduction

Cicicadidae lay their eggs in summer at the base of the trunks of shrubs and grasses. In late summer or autumn, the eggs give rise to larvae that burrow into the soil. The underground larval period lasts from 10 months to several years. It is only during the last year of its life that the cicada’s aerial life begins. The nymph emerges from the ground and attaches itself to a stem or trunk. It then transforms into an adult insect, reproducing for just a month and a half.

The origin of the cicada song

Only the male cicada sings. This song is used to attract females. The male has a specialised phonatory organ called cymbals, based in his abdomen. This cymbalisation results from the deformation of a membrane activated by a muscle. The sound produced is amplified in a resonance chamber and emitted through vents.

The cicada at Mas de la Fontenette

In the grounds of our 4-star gite in the Ardèche, with heated swimming pool and wellness area, the cicadas start singing at the end of June. They will continue throughout the summer in the oak trees around the pool.