Which structure produces the buzzing sound of a cicada?

A cicada’s buzzing sound is produced by a structure called a tymbal.

The tymbal is a ribbed membrane on the abdomen. Powerful muscles repeatedly buckle this membrane inward and outward, creating rapid pressure changes that become sound. The hollow abdomen and nearby body structures help amplify and shape the call. In many species, males produce the loudest songs to attract females and advertise their presence.

Cicada calls are not made by rubbing wings together, a common mistake caused by confusion with some other insects. The wings can help with flight and display, but the tymbal is the sound-producing organ. Some cicadas also make quieter sounds through wing movements or contact signals.

The famous periodic cicadas of eastern North America spend most of their immature lives underground and emerge together in synchronized broods. Their mass calling can be extremely loud, but the mechanism remains the same: muscular action on tymbals.