Are cicadas in the south-east of France making more noise this summer?
‘We are in Provence and our cicadas are announcing summer’
Published
For many people in southern France, summer does not truly begin until the cicadas start their traditional chorus.
This year, however, many residents and visitors say the sound seems louder than usual. Across Provence in particular, some people have noticed an almost constant buzzing from the trees, with some claiming that it makes conversation impossible, according to Ici.
The answer is that cicadas are not louder this summer, but there may be more calling at the same time.
By mid-July, cicada activity is usually at its peak, and large numbers of males can be heard calling together to attract females.
Only male cicadas produce the famous sound, which is not technically a song as they do not sing but ‘cymbalise’: they use special vibrating membranes on their abdomen to create their mating call. Their hollow body acts as a natural amplifier.
A cicada in France can reach around 70 decibels, while some species elsewhere in the world are much louder. For example, in Australia cicadas can exceed 100 decibels.
Where can cicadas be found in France?
France is home to some or more 20 recorded cicada species, with the greatest concentration found in the Mediterranean regions. They are mainly present in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Corsica, and parts of the Drôme and Ardèche.
You can see which species are recorded in your department in the map here. In the map, you need to first select a species, and then it will show you the departments where its presence is established.
The best-known species in France is the common cicada (Lyristes plebejus), found in the south of France around the Mediterranean.
Their life cycle is somewhat unusual. Cicadas spend most of their lives underground as larvae, feeding on sap from plant roots. After several years below ground, adults emerge for a short summer period. The loud chorus heard in July and August is produced by males trying to attract females.
Are warmer summers changing where cicadas can live?
Cicadas need warm, dry conditions and suitable vegetation, including trees such as pine, oak and olive. As temperatures rise, some Mediterranean species are now being recorded in the north, in areas where they were once rare, including parts of Centre-Val de Loire, Burgundy-Franche-Comté and Île-de-France.
In the south, the warmer weather creates ideal conditions for cicadas to become active and produce their loud summer chorus. It may also help some species expand into new areas where summers are now warm enough for them to survive.
But heat has limits. Above around 37C, many insects can suffer heat stress, dehydration and reduced activity. Prolonged drought can also affect the plants and soils they depend on.
A summer sound most locals love
For some visitors, the cicada chorus can be overwhelming. However for locals it is a part of their identity.
On social media, many people defended the insects: “We are in the south, in Provence we don’t touch our cicadas, they sing!”
Another wrote: “It’s true they make a hell of a racket, but it’s pure joy!”
“We’re in Provence and our cicadas are announcing summer.”
