Pescator Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 I`m sure that some of you know which one I am talking about when I say it has a very high pitched tone and the decibels it "transmits" is simply astonishing. And it just goes on and on forever without any variations in neither pitch nor pattern. It hear it more often when trekking in national parks but also occasionally in parks and trees in town. I`ve never managed to see one nor identify it by name, be it english or thai. Anybody with a suggestion? I`d be interested in the name both in thai and english. This has been nagging me for some time. I vividly recall the first time I heard that sound. I was with my brother on a beach in Phuket and there was this ongoing sound, we thought it was some sort of siren ::. Well, that was only 10 years ago and I haven`t worked out yet what kind of critter makes this sound. Cheers Hua Nguu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racha Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 In Thai its called a chakkachan or in English a cicada, These thumb sized insects are mostly around from now till the end of about April, They live in tree's after being born in the ground, and you can see the ground totally wet under the tree's where they living, They fly from one tree to the other in swarms, They eventually completly dry out and die leaving there perfect body shell behind, I think the water is coming from them pissing and it is an amazing amount of water, When one starts up with the noise they all start, I think only the male makes the noise and not the female, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidsanuk Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 I have not spent much time in the country in Thailand, so am not sure. But we have some real loud critters in Oz called Cicadas. I have a mangrove swamp opposite my appartment building and there must be millions of the buggers all singing there tonight. Might be a Thai version. Think they are common in most tropical/semi tropical areas. "The loudest insect in the world is the male cicada. He can be heard over 400 meters away, about the distance of four football fields ... " I think they make the noise by beating their wings or legs or something. Sid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pescator Posted December 21, 2002 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 Yes, I know these chakkachan very well indeed. I`ve often been out catching them with my wife and then fry them in oil. The local variation of fish and chips. However, this is not the one I am thinking of. The sound the cikadas emit is much different and they always sing in a chorus. The cikadas` song is not one continuous extremely highpitched tone without any variation whatsoever. In fact I am sure that it is so highpitched that elderly people are not capable of hearing it anymore. The insect I refer to is a solitude insect and not part of a chorus. Neither is it a cricket nor a grasshopper of that I am pretty sure too. Cheers Hua Nguu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racha Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 Do you mean like a loud constant ringing sound, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pescator Posted December 21, 2002 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 Sorry for not expressing myself so well, but that is exactly the sound I was referring too. Any suggestion? Cheers Hua Nguu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmine Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 Hi, [color:"red"] In Thai its called a chakkachan or in English a cicada, [/color] They are the chakkachan all right. I actually like them, there are a few here (WV, USA) in summer. The reason I like them is because they remind me of my childhood. Growing up in the North of Thailand, when we heard thiese insects, it meant the school year was ending and I could go to many places on vacation and did not have to study much. Happy memory there. :D :D Some Thais in the North eat them, I tried when I was little but insects and bugs are not for me. Cheers! :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 Hello, I think the answer is 'wife' Greetings, Wouter Dijkslag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted December 22, 2002 Report Share Posted December 22, 2002 Okay, HN and friends - prepare yourselves. I found a site compiled by some guy who is an absolute nut for the insects of Thailand - great pics and SOUNDS. I havent heard our Aussie cicadas for some years, but I dont remember them sounding quite like this : if I were in a forest at night and I heard this, I'd be making my way back to BKK f-a-s-t. I had my sound right up when I picked the first sound file and it scared the bejeesus out of me. These things are primeval, man ... A challenge - turn your speakers right up and listen to the cricket chirping - lovely. Now click on 'cicada in full song' and prepare to watch people running from surrounding homes. How people in rural areas sleep with this in the background is a mystery to me .... Cicada Sound Files Thai Bugs (gorgeous images) Sorry - also have a listen to the longhorn beetle at the bottom of the page - fantastic stuff - and the mountain cicadas seem to have developed a slightly less frightening call than their lowland relatives ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidsanuk Posted December 22, 2002 Report Share Posted December 22, 2002 Wow ! Look at the beetles page ! This is like a pictorial menu for Isaan girls LOL Sid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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