Cicadas of southern Africa: An illustrated guide to known species

Description:

This guide describes the diversity of cicadas, that are well known for their shrill song on hot summer days, but which are so skilfully concealed, that they are often only seen when disturbed, or after a careful and surreptitious search. The guide sets out to lift the covers off this interesting, shy and defenceless creature, and answer some of the questions and misconceptions about it. Above all, it is intended to be an identification aid to all those admirable specialists and dedicated amateur workers and volunteers in museums, those active in conservation, ecological impact studies, databasing and other vital biodiversity and environmental studies. It is hoped that this guide will encourage further interest and research into these largely unknown insects and their life histories, distribution, ecology and their niche in the southern African environment.