Marty’s photo of the day #4452: from the Borneo chapter of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents:
One creature that did follow a schedule was an insect called a “six o’clock cicada.” I was familiar with a variety of cicadas but had no idea an individual species could accurately tell time. According to Stephen, within five minutes of either side of six, the cicadas would begin their song.
The word song may not be the most accurate word to describe the noise they made—think electric buzz saw instead.
As we listened to what sounded like a construction crew busy in the rainforest, Stephen said, “When I was little boy, my mother always have me come home when six o’clock cicada start.”
The cicadas, incidentally, would be on time every evening for the rest of our visit.