Forest Cicada
Platypedia putnami
Reynold's Canyon, Sierra Ancha, Gila Co., Arizona. 4 June 2010.
Cicadidae -- Cicada Family
Unlike many cicada species found in the lower elevations of Arizona, Platypedia sing very softly, barely rasping. The sound is not produced in the usual cicada fashion with a timbal, but instead by tapping or rubbing the wings - a sound referred to as crepitation (Sanborn & Phillips, 1999). They emerge in late spring after spending years underground attached to plant roots. The females lay their eggs in twigs of trees. The hatching young drop to the soil and tunnle down. Their lifespan as winged adults is very short, certainly less than a month.