The Sounds of Summer's End

In early spring the frogs own the air waves. In late spring and early summer, bird songs fill our neighborhoods. However, come August, when birds are quietly feeding their young and fattening up for fall migration, the deafening choruses of cicadas, katydids, crickets, and other insects cannot be missed. Many of their songs can be heard until frost.

All these six-legged creatures play a crucial part in the food web of life. The cicadas are an exciting find for children who might spot these clear-winged, plump insects on a tree truck. It is the males who sing during the day to attract females. Bright green common katydids sing their name loudly at night often in one section of the woods, high in the tops of deciduous trees. Grasshoppers sing during the day although for some of us older folks, their voices might be too high a frequency to hear. The trails through fields and woods of the Rehoboth Land Trust properties are great places to see and hear many kinds of fascinating insects.

But not all of our insects are noisy! You might spot the bright orange monarch butterfly that will soon make its incredible migration to the mountains of Mexico. Look for butterflies around milkweed plants and late season flowers. Watch for colorful dragonflies hovering in the fields and wetland borders guarding territories and feasting on mosquitoes.

The Rehoboth Land Trust provides excellent habitat for our native insects. You too can provide healthy homes for them by planting native plants that bloom throughout the growing season and by avoiding the use of chemicals. Every small patch of native flowers and open space can provide important feeding and stopover habitat. In stressful times, family and friends will enjoy the calm beauty nature offers us.