Re: Do cicadas feel pain?

This is, interestingly enough, a very difficult question.   There was a 
very lengthy discourse on this subject over one of the entomological 
discussion groups recently and we came to no absolute conclusion.   The 
cicada you had was obviously a male (females make no sounds, even if you 
spill hot water on them) and the screech you heard was probably a last 
reaction to a powerful stimulus (they will make similar screeching sounds 
if you catch them in your hand). The cicada was probably nearly dead from 
the spray and just had a involuntary reaction.  As to whether insects 
actually feel pain in the sense we do- the question is somewhat open, but 
the best consensus we had on our discussion group was that they probably 
do not experience pain in exactly the way we do.  However, it was admitted 
that we really do not know for sure.  Unfortunately that is the best I can 
offer on this question.

I have no references on this subject at hand, but there have been several 
books out recently on animal cognition that might be of some help.