I finally got an earful of what was earlier hyped as a break-out year of “Brood X” 17-year cicadas, what we simply called “locusts” back in the day. That earful led me to investigate nature’s noisiest creatures, with cicadas leading the insect pack by many a decibel, though unable to hold a noisy candle to some totally unexpected noisemakers sounding off below water.

CICADA BEAT DOWN: My cicada listen-in consisted of a mere three-part/three-cicada harmony. Despite the humble number of participants, the treetop buzz was hardly lacking for eardrum…