Cicada orni is a species of cicada belonging to the family Cicadidae, subfamily Cicadinae and the genus Cicada.
The genus name comes directly from the Latin cicada meaning "buzzer", while the species name orni possibly comes from Fraxinus ornus (Manna Ash or South European Flowering Ash), where this cicada often lay its eggs deep in branches.
The adults of Cicada orni reach approximately 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in length, with a wingspan of about 70 millimetres (2.8 in). The cryptic coloration of the body varies from brown to gray. The abdomen has reddish segments and a silky pubescence. The head shows large and prominent eyes far apart on the sides, three small eyes (ocelli) located on the top, very short antennae and a long proboscis used for feeding on sap. The membranous front wings are transparent, with well-drawn veins and several characteristic black spots.
