Mystery clicking noise?

[bugmankeith]

I live on Long Island, NY, and during dusk and early dark during the Summer I hear this mysterious clicking noise. I have never seen the creature who is making the noise but it's always in maple or oak trees. It starts off slow and sounds like those click clack toy, then gets progressively faster for a few seconds, than stops. The whole "call" lasts about 8 seconds. It's not buzzing like katydids or chirping like crickets, and nothing like a cicada.

What insect is making this noise? I can't find any soundfiles online to match.

 

[myrmecophile]

There are several crickets and katydids, that make noises along those lines so I suspect that is what it is.

 

[bugmankeith]

I found websites with samples of most commen cricket and katydid calls, none came close to what I'm hearing. Do you have sounds I can listen to so I can identify the insect?

 

[Nanotrev]

It sounds like a Katydid to me. I had one that made the same noise with rather large leaf-like wings and smaller cricket-like mandibles rather than the massive exposed cutting mandibles some species have.

 

[bugmankeith]

What species was it so I can try to find the sound of the call.

 

[TB3Redneck]

Its probably a Cicada. They make a cool noise that I cant really explain...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mah26og11ms

 

[ZephAmp]

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/031a.htm

Perhaps these guys? Definitely some sort of katydid.

 

[bugmankeith]

Its probably a Cicada. They make a cool noise that I cant really explain...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mah26og11ms

Cicadas don't sing at night

 

[TB3Redneck]

Hmmm. I guess I never noticed that lol...

 

[bugmankeith]

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/031a.htm

Perhaps these guys? Definitely some sort of katydid.

That's it! The ticking noise as they call it. Funny I've never seen that katydid before, but I do sometimes see the nymphs, thanks for your help!

 

[stewstew8282]

what part of LI u from? i used to live right down the way from hofstra off of stewart and carmen ave

 

[bugmankeith]

what part of LI u from? i used to live right down the way from hofstra off of stewart and carmen ave

West Babylon

 

[Nanotrev]

That's it! The ticking noise as they call it. Funny I've never seen that katydid before, but I do sometimes see the nymphs, thanks for your help!

lol Sorry I couldn't provide you with a call. It's interesting you have them there too. If they didn't breed once a year I'd probably try and culture those as well for scorpion food although the one I had as a pet ages ago was pretty neat to observe and take care of. Pet or food, they're pretty neat critters. Catch a nymph and raise it if you want. I kept mine under the bathroom sink at night because it seems both males and females "sing" from what I can remember. It's louder than a feeder cricket as I'm sure you know.

 

[Kruggar]

could it be some species of tree frog too? just curious.