Why do cicadas sound different in the morning than in the afternoon?

Question

I've always wondered why cicadas (I’m talking the annual kind not the periodic) sound different in the morning and during the day, than in the late afternoon. They go from sounding like an overgrown rattle snake, to the "wee-oh-wee-oh-wee" sound. Are these the males vs the females?

Answer 1

Only the male Cicada produces the sounds you hear. There are a few possible explanations that explain the different sounds: Apparently Cicadas enjoy the heat and have a more "spirited" sound during the late afternoon to heat there bodies up more as the sun goes down and it begins to cool. Also: you could be hearing 2 different kinds of Cicada species; the sounds could also be different mating songs and songs for being in distress.

Hope this helps somehow!

Answer 2

  The sound they make depends on the temperature which usually drops in the afternoon.