The cicada, also called cicada, is an insect that produces a chirping sound.
The Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) recognizes several meanings of the term chicharra . The first meaning mentioned in his dictionary refers to the cicada , an insect whose males generate a characteristic sound.
At this point it is important to pay attention to the etymology of the concept. Cicada derives precisely from cicada and is formed from the influence of the onomatopoeia chich (which resembles the noise these animals make).
Characteristics of the cicada
A cicada or cicada is an insect that belongs to the hemiptera group. This means that it performs a simple metamorphosis and has four wings and a beak that allows it to suck.
Cicadas are green, can measure up to six centimeters and have a large head with bulging eyes. The males, in their abdomen , have the structure that allows them to generate a loud and very high-pitched noise .
While the nymphs settle underground, the adult specimens usually remain on the plants. With their mouthparts, cicadas can extract the sap that constitutes their food.
The noise
Although we often talk about the song of the cicada, what these invertebrates do is stridular : that is, they cause stridor (a squeaky sound). That stridor is monotonous and constant.
Specifically, as we already indicated, it is the male cicadas that stridulate. For this, they are responsible for inflating and deflating air bags that are at the base of their abdomen. The action is possible thanks to the membranes known as tympani .
Cicadas can produce the chirping sound for different reasons. Many times they try to attract females to reproduce. In other cases they point to marking the territory to keep contenders away. Stridulation can also act as an alarm .
The bell or horn that sounds to mark the end of time in basketball is known as a buzzer.
The cicada as a bell or toy
Based on the noise of the insect, a bell that makes a similar sound is called a cicada. This element is used in basketball games with the objective of notifying the end of the time available to shoot the basket or of the playing time.
At the end of each quarter, in this way, the chicada sounds. The same occurs if a team did not take a shot within the 24-second period established by the regulations. Additionally, the buzzer can sound in other circumstances (if a player reaches the personal foul limit, for example ).
Achieving a victory over the buzzer , in this framework, means doing it right at the end of the game. If a team loses by two points and, on the last play, one of its players makes a three-pointer in the second before the end of time , it can be said that this team achieved a victory at the buzzer. Due to the end of the match, the opponent does not have the possibility of trying to change the result.
As a toy , on the other hand, the cicada is an object that also produces a squeaky whistle . These products usually use ropes or threads to achieve the vibration that makes the noise.