Identification
The *Platypleura* genus comprises the "Broad-winged Cicadas," masters of camouflage that favor a squat, robust silhouette over the elongated forms of their cousins. Unlike the glass-clear wings of many cicadas, *Platypleura* possess forewings heavily pigmented with mottled browns, sepia, and cream, perfectly mimicking the crustose lichens of their host trees. To identify them in the field, look for the "pronotal collars"—wide, shelf-like expansions on the sides of the thorax that give them a distinctly "wide-shouldered" or flattened appearance. When at rest, their wings are held tent-like, completely obscuring their abdomen and blending them seamlessly into the bark.
Habitat & Range
These cicadas are Old World specialists, widely distributed across the African continent and Southern Asia. They are strictly arboreal, thriving in hot, semi-arid savannas, dry deciduous forests, and scrublands. You will most often find them clinging to the trunks of *Acacia*, *Albizia*, or *Mopane* trees, where the dappled sunlight matches their cryptic patterning.
Behaviour
The *Platypleura* experience is defined by sound. Males possess specialized abdominal membranes called tymbals, which they vibrate to produce a piercing, high-frequency "zing" or a rhythmic, staccato pulse that can be deafening at close range. They are most active during the heat of the day, often forming loose "chorusing" aggregations. If you approach one, it will flatten its body against the bark to minimize its shadow; if further pressed, it will launch into a sudden, erratic flight, often "shouting" a startled squawk as it departs.
Diet
As nymphs, they live underground, but as adults, they are specialized xylem-feeders. They use a needle-like rostrum to pierce the tough bark of woody plants, tapping into the tree’s internal plumbing. Because xylem sap is mostly water and low in nutrients, they must drink constantly to survive.
Fascinating Fact
In parts of Africa, *Platypleura* are known as "Rain-makers." Because they must process such massive quantities of xylem sap to get enough nutrition, they excrete the excess liquid at a rapid rate. On a windless, hot afternoon, a large colony feeding in the canopy can produce so much "honeydew" that it falls to the ground like a gentle, localized rain shower!