Saluda Library Speaker Series: The Backyard Chorus – Insect Songs Through the Seasons

Date: March 10, 2026

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Location: Polk County Public Libraries, Saluda Branch

Speaker: Timothy G. Forrest, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, UNC-Asheville

Why do insects make sounds?  How do they make sounds?  What are the common sound-producing species in North Carolina and when are they most active?  If you are curious about these questions, this is a presentation for you!  This presentation is a brief introduction to the most common singing insects with special reference to those in North Carolina.  The talk discusses the function and mechanisms of sound production for crickets, katydids, and cicadas.  Along with learning tidbits of natural history and the behavior of singing insects, you hear the species-specific songs that help you identify them and you learn how the chorus in your backyard changes during the year.

Tim Forrest is an Emeritus Professor of Biology at UNC-Asheville and has been studying and teaching about insect biology and behavior for over 40 years.   He received Masters and Doctoral degrees in Entomology from the University of Florida. After postdoctoral research in Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University, he took a position in the Biology Department at UNCA.  There, Tim taught courses in Ecology, Evolution, Animal Behavior, Invertebrate Zoology, and Entomology.  For 9 years during his 25-year tenure at UNCA, Tim organized and ran Bug Camp, a week-long summer camp for middle school students.

The Saluda Library Speaker Series programs are made possible thanks to our partnership with the Polk County Public Libraries Systems.

Contact Pam Torlina, pam@conservingcarolina.org, with questions or for more information.