Razor Grinders by Ken _Gilliland

Poser • Insects • posted on Jul 08, 2021

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Description

Okay, I'll admit the reason I chose this Australian cicada was almost purely on name alone... the Australian flora and fauna has such fun names, from frogmouths (a type of nightjar) and billabongs (stagnant pool/pond) to Willie Wagtails, Jacky-winters and Razor Grinders. The razor grinder is found along the east coast of Australia from Gladstone in Central Queensland south to Narooma in southern New South Wales. Their habitat is dry or wet sclerophyll forest or rainforest margins. Male razor grinders sing in large groups on the main trunks of tall eucalypts, especially spotted gum. Its common name refers to its harsh call, which has been likened to the noise of a metal grinder. Their emergence is yearly; occurring from October through April, with the height in January. In some years their numbers can be locally immense, but in other years very few adults emerge. The male's call lasts for a few seconds, increases in volume, suddenly stops, and then suddenly starts again. They usually silently feed throughout the afternoon, and then groups call at maximum volume around dusk. There is a secondary population, referred to as the “laughing” razor grinder, which is only observed in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, and has a distinct call.