Cicadas in Mallorca: nature, summer and the sounds of the Mediterranean
If you’ve spent a summer in Mallorca, you’ll no doubt remember a constant, almost hypnotic sound that accompanies the heat and tranquillity of the landscape. It isn’t music… but it forms part of the soundtrack of summer: the song of the cicadas.
What are cicadas?
A cicada is a small insect, measuring up to about 60 millimetres when fully grown. It is, in some ways, similar to a fly, but with much larger and more powerful wings.
They live in warm areas, and it is in fact during the summer that we are most aware of their presence, thanks to that distinctive sound they make. But it’s hard to spot one, as they’re very well camouflaged. Because of their size, their colours, and because they freeze in place as soon as they feel threatened, they go unnoticed. That’s why I’m sharing this photo with you. It bears little resemblance to the cicada in the fable of the cicada and the ant, doesn’t it?
Why do cicadas sing?
It is actually only the males that produce the cicada’s song, in an attempt to attract females. Males of breeding age produce a sound known as ‘stridulation’, which they generate by vibrating their abdomen up to 600 times per second.
This courtship and mating season occurs in the heat of midsummer, and the thousands of cicadas that may be singing at the same time create a very distinctive background sound.
Cicadas in Mallorca
Mallorca is an island in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea and, as such, is quite hot during the summer months. It is then that our protagonist will begin to sing non-stop, wherever there is wild nature, countryside and rural areas. It doesn’t matter if you’re on Es Trenc beach, taking a stroll through the Massanella, or trying to have a siesta; if it’s hot, you’ll hear the cicada’s song practically all over the island.
It’s a very characteristic experience of summer in Mallorca, which many visitors remember even years later. For many, it’s very relaxing as it has accompanied their entire holiday and the tranquillity of those days.
The sound of summer
They say that sounds are among the things the human brain most readily associates with a specific situation. And the song of the cicadas is evocative… the summer heat, the nature all around you, and that buzzing sound that accompanies you like background music.
A sense of natural, free, relaxed living and a well-deserved holiday to enjoy the sun, the beach and some free time. It is the song of the cicadas, true summer music.
And since you’re in Mallorca in the summer, why not try one of the island’s most traditional snacks, often served at family gatherings? Follow the link to learn about this Mediterranean delicacy: La coca mallorquina
La coca mallorquina
Just as the sound of the cicadas is part of summer in Mallorca, so too are its flavours and traditions; discover here just how much we have to offer with our various traditional products.
