Powerful Song: Zombie cicada droppings have a sound picked up by fiber optic cables

The powerful song of the Brood This type of technology is used to detect vibrations caused by seismic activities and other acoustic events of varying intensity.

Known as the loudest insects on the planet, cicadas came to the attention of physicist Sarber Ozarar in early 2021, when he noticed a strange signal in DAS data in Princeton, New Jersey. At that time, Ozharar was analyzing indicators related to earthquakes and volcanic activities in the region.

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After confirming that the strange signal detected by the fiber optic cables came from cicadas, the physicist decided to use the technology to actively monitor the insects. A special twist to this work concerns the periodic outbreaks of Brood X, which occur every 17 years.

Cicada “zombie”.

Specifically, in May 2021, cicadas appeared, with “billions of individuals singing at the top of their lungs” in several US states. With each such event, Brood X multiplies and dies – all within 4 or 6 weeks of hatching.

Also known as “zombie cicadas,” these cicadas spend 17 years buried as nymphs, feeding on tree roots and sap. The next cicada outbreak is expected to occur in 2038.

It turns out that the researchers were concerned about the decline in insect numbers. Therefore, monitoring research (Published in the Journal of Insect Science) is very important to establish baseline data for species experiencing the effects of climate change. For example, scientists have observed that cicadas sing differently depending on temperature.

Fiber optic cables, common in many places, including rural areas, can be a valuable tool for entomologists. Although it does not replace other insect monitoring techniques, such as microphones or environmental DNA analysis, it can complement them by offering an efficient and comprehensive method of data collection.

The challenge now is to adapt DAS to detect noiseless insect species such as cicadas. This would help scientists better understand insect populations and how they change.