cicada song

yesterday morning, in tagaytay, i woke up to a not-so-familiar sound. it was a sound that's not often heard in the city. at first, i thought it was the noise of a motor-powered grass cutter; but it sounded different. it was more high-pitched.. and it came from all around the grounds. it was the music of cicadas in the early morning :)

i'm not a big insect-lover (i am extremely terrified of a lot of bugs - cockroaches being #1 in my list). but i was quite intrigued with the cicadas.. and how they could make sounds that can really make you stop and pay attention. so i did a bit of research when i got home.. and this is what i found (courtesy of wikipedia):

Cicadas are the most efficient and loudest sound-producing insects in the world. Conversely, some small species have songs so high in pitch that the noise is inaudible to humans. Only the males resound as a mating ritual to attract a female and many cicada species tend to gather when calling which increases the total volume of noise. Species have different mating songs to ensure they attract the appropriate mate.

Cicadae are unique in sound-producing insects in that they have a musical drum in their abdomen. The organs that produce sound are ‘tymbals' ~ paired membranes that are ribbed and located at the abdominal base. Contracting the internal tymbal muscles yield a pulse of sound as the tymbals buckle inwards. As these muscles relax, the tymbals return to their original position. The interior of the male abdomen is substantially hollow to amplify the resonance of the sound. The song intensity of the louder cicadas acts as an effective bird repellent. Males of many species tend to gather which net a greater sound intensity and engenders protection from avian predators.

In addition to the mating song, many species also have a distinct distress call, usually a somewhat broken and erratic sound emitted when an individual is seized. A number of species also have a courtship song, which is often a quieter call and is produced after a female has been drawn by the calling song.

wow. talk about a music-making bug-wonder of nature! :) the sounds they make enable them to send for help.. fend off enemies and even find themselves a mate!!

just think.. if God gifted the lowly cicadas with the ability to create songs.. imagine what He has blessed us with! :) He's given us voices.. not just to communicate with our fellowmen.. but to be able to thank, praise and worship Him! He gave some the talent to compose music.. to others, the talent to sing songs. some, He enabled to proclaim His Word. Still, to others, He gave His gift of teaching.

brothers and sisters, no matter what talent He has blessed you with, know this: God gave you the power to make others stop and pay attention :) so that you can minister to His people. so that you can make a difference.

like the cicadas, let's sing out loud our praise to the Creator. and soon, the world just might pause and listen to His Word :)