Envy Cicadas

Photographed by Evanembee.

There are a lot of fish swimming in the vast sea and they've attracted us in different ways. Some of us are struck with their colorful Nemo-like body features that even look more adorable as they flap their gills. Some focus on the shape, size or other special characteristics that make them stand out from the others. Some don't want to keep a goldfish as a pet but would rather have tasty fish that can satisfy the whole family at the table. Some are particular with where the fish lives, as the habitat explains a lot about their nature.

But more often than not, the fish we're eying doesn't look us back, doesn't want to be caught or worse, doesn't even know we exist.

For people, looking for the one can get complicated. A can't get B out of his(her) mind. But B goes gaga over C. But C is truly, madly, deeply fascinated with D. But D is simply in love with A. This may seem like a soap opera plot but unrequited love happens in real life. You see, of all the guys I was secretly infatuated with, I remember only three or four shared the same puppy feeling and only one was tempted with my bait. Haha :)

Cicadas are spared from this complication. Last week, I found out that cicadas' noisy sound is their response to God's command: go to the earth and multiply. Yes, it's a "mating call". It's the loud love song of a male cicada for a female cicada on a hot day. What's more amazing is, each species has its own distinctive song which only appeals females of the same kind. When the female is already drawn, the male starts singing a courtship song.

How simple, isn't it? The male sings, the female listens and that's it.

By the way, I shared this cicada trivia to my students through a role play with a Japanese teacher using very simple English and creative gestures. Try to imagine Kikit playing the role of a female cicada. They enjoyed it so much they asked for a repeat performance. I have acting skills after all!