The Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology presents Soundwalks – quiet events leading groups to explore their relationship as listeners in the acoustic environment. This soundwalk will focus on singing insects and is a part of a training program hosted by the North Park Village Nature Center. Eric Leonardson will lead the group through listening exercises during a short soundwalk which will then be followed by a singing insect monitor training and a second soundwalk led by Dr. Carl Strang.

The Singing Insects monitoring program is a citizen science effort to familiarize people with common sounds of singing insects in the Chicago region, including grasshoppers, cicadas, katydids, and crickets. Building on Dr. Carl Strang’s work documenting species across 22 counties, the purpose of the project is to collect local baseline data and help people keep their ears perked for unusual insect calls each summer. Data collected is publicly available to anyone who wishes to use it, and walks are conducted informally site by site along a route prescribed by a surveyor.

For more information on the Singing Insect Monitoring Program or to learn how to get involved please contact: singinginsects@gmail.com

For more information on North Park Village Nature Center programming please call: (312) 744-5472