Month: August 2006

Comment by Brandi — August 27, 2006 [AT] 7:02 pm

I am from Sharon, Pennsylvania. My cat has brought 2 Magicicadas in my house . We have been hearing them sing the last few days . They were big and black with clear wings .

Comment by Sherry Vanditta — August 14, 2006 [AT] 3:31 pm

I live in Sacramento, California. In the past two weeks my cat has been bringing in cicadas. There have been about 10 of them so far. I’ve had three “delivered” in the last two days. I’ve done a little research on the web and this doesn’t appear to be the norm. I don’t see any outside, but pretty sure I hear them up in my huge tree. None of my neighbors hve this problem either.

Isn’t this unusual? They look like they are Magicicada cassini or Magicicada septendecula. Any enlightenment will be appreciated.

Comment by Bea Maurer — July 24, 2006 [AT] 10:22 pm

Our location is 38.2 N, 86.2 degrees W. This is a little neighborhood off of Blanton Lane and Dixie Hwy in Louisville, KY. This morning I was cleaning my pool and I heard a splash in it. This poor creature had landed in it. Not sure what it was, I got it out and came in to check on the web. From what I found on cicadamania.com,it must be a straggler. My cam is not working so no picture can be taken. I will try to get a pic before I let it go if anyone is interested. I hear them occasionally at night, but first time I’ve actually seen one since I was a child. My grandson has found shells over the past 2 yrs, but we never found one till now. Just thought I’d let ya know for those who are interested.

Comment by Donna Denson — July 8, 2006 [AT] 7:32 am

June 17, 2006
Our dog found a Okanagana rimosa cicada in our backyard. This was in Edmonton Alberta Canada off the revine in the Capilano area. Very cool never seen anything like it. A black star with an orange circle just behind its head on a plate of some sort. It has since been taken to the University 0f Alberta; Strickland Entomological Museum.

Comment by M. Valgardson — June 22, 2006 [AT] 10:57 am

Some very late notes on brood xxiii in central Mississippi, May, 2002.
In the Jackson, MS area tridecassini was probably the most numerous species, with tridecim next, and tridecula a very distant third. M. tridecassini is the one that makes a ticking sound followed by a buzz like a weedeater revving up. There were so many that the sound was really deafening, and the intensity would rise and fall, like waves crashing on a beach. I think that each species aggregated with its own kind, but I have no proof. The much quieter tridecim—the one with the “pharaoh” song was in smaller groups. I noticed that very early in the morning, before the sun came up, the tridecims were singing, but none of the others. I also noticed that when I was going home on my bicycle after dark, my bicycle light elicited buzzes and partial songs from a few of the cicadas as I went by. The rather scarce tridecula were in small groups, and they tended to be where the trees were not tall—basically in fields where the trees were just moving in.
In 2003, 2004, and 2005, each May, I heard a few tridecassini stragglers singing. Before the big spring 2002 brood, I heard one tridecassini that jumped the gun in October, 2001!

Comment by Paul Krombholz — September 20, 2005 [AT] 9:34 pm

August 23, 2005

Went out on my deck this morning to enjoy a cup of coffee. When I went to sit down I had a visitor resting on my chair. It’s the first Cicada I’ve seen up close since the 80s. I’ve heard them humming in the trees all summer. They’re loud and they’re here in Rocky Hill, CT.

Comment by Marilyn — August 23, 2005 [AT] 6:30 am

I am in Rockville, MD and we had a HUGE emergence last year — HUGE. I didn’t realize that there would be any this year but I have been hearing the buzzing sound for a little over a week and wasn’t sure what it was. Well, when 2 were swarming around me last evening, I then realized it. I found 3 dead ones on the ground today while gardening and as I type this, every once in awhile, there is a “knock” on the window from one when they run into the glass. Nothing like last year but there are definately some in this area!

Comment by Susan — August 22, 2005 [AT] 10:38 pm

A friend of mine also has them in Mansura, La.
I had taken pics, but I think I deleted them, will try again

Comment by iluvmykhalil — August 15, 2005 [AT] 4:13 pm

8/15/05—-There are alot in Princeton, Illinois.
I have seen one on my porch about every other day. There dead skin or what ever you call it, well let’s just say in my front yard I found at least 20 of them, it feels like we are infested with them, ok maybe I am over exaggerating. I don’t like them, they are big, ugly and scare me!

Comment by iluvmykhalil — August 15, 2005 [AT] 4:10 pm

I saw 2 Magicicadas in Camden, NJ in 2 days. On August 12th, I saw a dead one laying on the walkway in front of Cooper Hospital. Then on August 14th I saw one on the screen of my front door in Cramer Hill, NJ. When I opened the door it tried to fly away but banged into the post and into the grass. Very big insect!! I have alot of trees in my yard and live close to a wooded area so if I see one on one of my trees, I will try to take a picture. It’s hard though since I am afraid of insects. Also,on my way to Wildwood, NJ I heard them singing the entire way through the Atlantic City Expressway on August 13th as well.

Comment by M Casiano — August 14, 2005 [AT] 9:15 am

The Cicadas are here un the Upstate of South Carolina. I live in a little town southwest of Greenville SC called Honea Path. We have Oak and Chesnut Trees and the are singing wonderfully all day like I used to hear them in Southern France.
Now here I need an expert for answers? I heard the same noise last year. Not quite as prominent then this year but still I could hear them well every day.
This year I have been looking around and found some dead Magicicadas.
I am a little lost about this 17 year cicle. How could I have heard some last year and this year.
Are they other types of cicadas that live every year and make a similar noise?
Also as I go about enjoying these wonderful creatures of nature I hear being closer some high pitch singing less loud and frequent?
I would be thankful if anybody can give me more information. Suggestions of site with information and an excellent book about cicadas.
I feel in heaven, romantic and this wonderful noise while reading a book under a tree is an awesome feeling.
Edmond Schafeitel
Honea Path SC

Comment by Edmond Schafeitel — August 14, 2005 [AT] 8:38 am

The Cicadas are here in Charlotte, NC in droves. I am on the southwest side of Charlote, near the SC border. The oak trees are ringing loudly. Now the starlings are showing up in flocks for the buffet. I have never been glad to see starlings until now. I didn’t see any Cicadas in my neighborhood last year, and if they were here, there weren’t very many of them. This is the third time I have witnessed them during my lifetime.

Comment by Dr.Volts — August 14, 2005 [AT] 6:16 am

I saw one two days ago, and I squished them in between my toes, ohh how I love the feeling. Anyone know when more are comming in, I did this two times so far, there blue eyes, turn red when you moosh them!

[Moderator: don’t moosh cicadas.]

Comment by Ceerie — August 13, 2005 [AT] 8:09 pm

Seattle WA, Aug 8, 2005, 2 pm 80 degrees.
I had to have my wife tell me what the hell that noise was. I have never seen or heard anything like this before, though i only moved to Seattle in 1988.
I grew up in eastern Montana, and have never heard them.

Wierd!!!

Comment by lloyd — August 7, 2005 [AT] 8:35 am

Cicadas are buzzing heavily in Narberth, Pa. Actually spotted a live one on a chair in my yard. Found several shells in a tree and on the ground. Thought they only emerged every 17 yrs? Although their sound is soothing to myself, my young child is terrified of their noise. How long should we expect them to be around? Thanks!!

Comment by Heather G. — August 6, 2005 [AT] 4:22 pm

I know nothing about cicadas but they are in my yard. I live in Waukesha WI and they have been here for a couple of weeks, yet a friend who lives 1/4 mile away does not hear them in his yard. We only hear them at night as soon as the sun goes down they start singing and are quite loud. Tonight they are not as loud and it doesn’t sound as if there are as many as there have been in the last few weeks. Are these what you call stragglers? I found 1 shell in our driveway but did not realize what it was until I started ready about them on you website

Comment by gundi davis — August 5, 2005 [AT] 7:40 pm

Location: Boone, NC, right on the TN/NC/VA border. Last year I eagerly awaited Brood X, but was terribly dissapointed. I might have heard 2 at my home, at the most. While rafting on the Nolichucky River in TN (2004), they were deafening! This year, my home is surrounded by them. We have been having some unusually hot weather breaking a long standing record by hitting 90deg last week, maybe that’s why they are so active. I have been stalking the woods with my camera trying to get a pic, but they are everywhere except for where I am! Camera shy little suckers….

Comment by Shannon K — August 1, 2005 [AT] 9:36 am

I live in Freeport, NY (Long Island) I have about 10 shells in front of my home with a new one on my front door everyday. I also see the holes in the dirt. Don’t expect me to take pictures I am deathly affraid of insects of all kind. The noise is annoying..

Comment by Tiarra T. — July 28, 2005 [AT] 10:38 am

I’ve been hearing the very distinctive sound for several weeks now in nothern Virginia. Thought sure it was cicadas. I believe we have them in large numbers. Last night, the cat brought one in the house. We were able to get it out, but there is no mistaking that it was a cicada.

Comment by Dawn W — July 23, 2005 [AT] 7:28 am

A brood has emerged in Central Texas, the top of the bug looks like the face of a grasshopper, smiling. I guessed it was a cicada, heard about it, never saw it. Recently we have been seeing bizarre looking bug shells around the home, now I know what it was. Our kid spotted it clinging from it’s recently hatched shell on our screen. They sure are not scared, didn’t fly away and moved pretty slowly when nudged. No wonder they are hard to see. Ours was a light green with transparent wings that were brown tiped, so it blends in WELL witht the tree. The nymph phase seems to be universal looking ashy brown/tan. We are in Copperas Cove, TX, north of Austin.

Comment by James G — July 22, 2005 [AT] 8:43 am

I LIVE IN ENOREE, SC, IT’S JULY 20TH. I WAS SITTING OUTSIDE AROUND 11:30 PM AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A GREEN BUG ATTACKING ANOTHER BROWN BUG. LOOKED CLOSER AND WAS AMAZED!!! IT WAS A CICADA EMERGING!!! I SAT AND WATCHED FOR WHAT SEEMED AN ETERNITY. ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES LATER A BEAUTIFUL, LONG WINGED CREATURE APPEARED. I’VE NEVER FELT CLOSER TO NATURE. I’M GOING TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT HAS FLOWN AWAY YET…NOPE…IT’S STILL JUST SITTING THERE ON IT’S OLD SHELL. I MUST GO TO SLEEP NOW.

Comment by Shay C — July 20, 2005 [AT] 9:06 pm

Yeah, yeah. I know I’m late with this.

I’m a PGRC member, and on a Saturday Morining run in late May (the 28th, I believe) I’m certain I heard a lone, Brood-X cicada somewhere in the middle of Greenbelt Park (Greenbelt, MD).

Comment by Tim Holtz — July 18, 2005 [AT] 7:05 pm

Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Wow, we’ve never seen these before but in the last 24 hours we’ve found two of these guy’s (or gals) perched up on the brick wall directly outside the front door. The first one had a very long abdomin, even longer wings, and generally light brown all over.
Today’s find looks much more like the photos we have seen. It has a very large/wide green/brown head, green collar, green and mostly light brown wings, and brown body with a dark stripe going almost the entire lenth of the underside.
What a racket they make! Very interesting.

Comment by James Fyvie — July 14, 2005 [AT] 11:31 am

I live in Perth County (Ontario Canada) and have just heard quite a few in the tree outside my window. It is somewhat soothing to know that they are here again.

Comment by Cathy — July 12, 2005 [AT] 6:35 pm

I heard them a few days ago (just one or two), then silence due to rain and cooler weather here in Bayside, Queens. This mornining was warm and sunny and heard the same one or two once more. Pretty early for these parts I think. I usually do not hear them until mid august. I hope that does not mean they will be plentiful cause I hate them!!

Comment by Mindy — July 10, 2005 [AT] 1:06 pm

Today, while out walking my dogs, I heard the definite music of cicadas. I couldn’t tell you what kind they were as they all sound alike to me.

I’m in northwest Nassau county (Long Island). Has anyone else heard them around here?

Comment by Marilyn — July 9, 2005 [AT] 12:20 pm

It saddens me with the extinction of brood XI. I bet if you looked on old trees you my be able to see the scars from a cicada brood that no longer exists. Perhaps we could have done some sound mapping to see if there where any existing chorusing areas left. Who knows, maybe there is small pockets left.

Comment by Matt — June 29, 2005 [AT] 3:53 pm

I live in Jacksonville, Florida and we are cursed with Cicadas. In Jacksonville they don’t come out every 17 years, 7 years, or 3 years. They show up every year! Their “song” sounds like a high voltage power line. I am not aware of any studies but my guess is Cicadas are a major cause of depression and anxiety. I hate them.

Comment by Randy Ross — June 25, 2005 [AT] 7:01 am

Found a mature female Brood X straggler yesterday (15 June 2005) in Falls Church, VA. We had huge numbers last year, especially on the 50-yr-old maple tree in our yard, but I didn’t realize there would be 1-year stragglers. Haven’t heard any singing in the neighborhood so far.

C

omment by Pete Jennings — June 16, 2005 [AT] 1:57 pm

They are back this year (2005) in Forest Park Ohio! YUCK!! Thankfully not in the same numbers as last year. I estimate I’ve seen about 50 shells in the yard. Thank goodness I haven’t seen any of them flying around. I can hear them in the trees. Last year, I would barely leave the house and when I did, I did it in the evening. Hopefully I will be in a cicada free town before they come out again.

Comment by Linda — June 15, 2005 [AT] 5:09 pm

The search for Brood XI is on. The “lost” brood was located in CT, MA and RI but hasn’t been seen in over 50 years. Unlike the massive Brood X which we all heard about last year, this was a small and vulnerable brood. John Cooley from UConn and I would like to enlist the help of anyone in these three states. Sorry Midwesterners, but any periodical cicadas you see are probably stragglers from Brood X. Especially if you had them in large amounts from the previous year. To fully understand our problem, you have to read the original location descriptions from 50 years ago. Basically, all that is written is a county reference such as “Hartford County.” Street locations, landmarks or any other points of reference just aren’t listed too often or may even have changed. It will be different for the next generation thanks to the GPS, but for now we have some legwork (and cyberwork) to do. Obviously, the best case scenario would be to have a live specimen. But lacking this, we ask if you could please ask your older relatives or friends if they remember anything detailed. Someone might have a journal page or photograph that could really help us hone in on a specific location. Even a memory, as long as it can provide times and locations, would be helpful. It’s already happened to us once, as a farmer was able to direct us to a previous location. (Sadly, there was a construction crew literally starting to build a house on it, but John and I think the cicadas were long gone.)
Counties that had records are Hartford in Connecticut. Bristol, Franklin, and Hampshire in Massachusetts. Providence (near Tiogue Reservoir) in Rhode Island. Brood XI’s expected cycle in the last century was 1988, 1971, 1954, 1937, 1920 and 1903. “No cicada” sightings or “negative records” are helpful from these areas as well. So if you are planning a hike in any of these locations in the next month and don’t see anything, shoot me an email. It may help us to cut down on places we need to search. Thanks for your help.

Mike Neckermann
castle10 [AT] charter.net

Comment by Mike Neckermann — June 10, 2005 [AT] 1:26 am

oh and i just wanted to say that i am in pierre part louisiana wwayyyyy down south about 30 min. southwest of new orleans it was a brite lime green color so fresh very very flimbzy!!!!!!!!!1

Comment by cody leonard — June 7, 2005 [AT] 9:40 pm

i w

i watched one crawl out of its shell tonite june 5 2005 at11.05 at nite
the wings were flopy and soft it climbed up my rocker i was sitting in so i put it on the brick wall and put an aqurium over it took some pics to

Comment by cody leonard — June 7, 2005 [AT] 9:35 pm

At Green Lane Park PA I went to the most popular Magicicada tree from last year. Saw maybe 20 or 30 shells on the ground. I wondered if they were left over from last year’s hatching but my daughter didn’t think shells would last a whole year. So we concluded that these must be Stragglers! I didn’t see any live cicadas though. However, a bit later I began hearing the call of one single Cassini among the trees!

Laura

Comment by Laura Woodswalker — June 5, 2005 [AT] 6:28 pm

I can hear 1 or 2 magicicada cassini singing in my back yard.

Comment by Matt — June 5, 2005 [AT] 7:52 am

Caught another magicicada on the same tree. Thats 3 on one tree. In Loveland Ohio.

Comment by Matt — June 4, 2005 [AT] 4:03 am

found 2 magicicada shells on a tree in Loveland, Ohio.

Comment by Matt — May 30, 2005 [AT] 7:14 pm

Stragglers in Pohatcong Twsp. (Warren County, NJ)! Heard them (decim) today and I was so excited although I would flip if we could actually see them here. Last year I heard a few but only saw large populations a bit South of here in Holland Twsp. Think I will ride down there tomorrow and see if I find any of our little friends buzzing around.

Comment by LPK — May 29, 2005 [AT] 7:21 pm

Great: take a photo and send email it to the site — if you can get a picture of a cicada next to a newspaper (for dating purposes) that would be awesome.

Comment by Administrator — May 29, 2005 [AT] 10:03 am

Hey, I know this sounds unusual but i found 11 magicicada shells on a tree in my grandmas yard in terrace park ohio

Comment by Mat — May 28, 2005 [AT] 11:11 am

Awesome. I’ll let you know (and everyone else) if I hear about anything in Princeton.

Comment by Administrator — May 11, 2005 [AT] 7:32 am

I have a friend in Silver Springs MD which had a fantastic emergence last year. He will be checking for any stragglers this week as warm weather is expected shortly. I may go to Princeton NJ in a couple of weeks myself.

Comment by AJay — May 8, 2005 [AT] 10:18 am

re: why they sing in summer

Date: Wednesday, Apr/27/2005

> If so, does >it mean that they mate only in >Summer? So what do they do in >Winter? — Som, Thailand Som, let’s just say they spend a lot of time “getting in shape” for mating season. — bissel spilkes, town, state

Largest Cicada?

Date: Tuesday, Apr/26/2005

Wow! This message board has been dead for awhile! I would like to know what the largest type cicada in America is. Here in Virginia, We have several species, some of which I don’t know the names of. First ones I hear each summer are the standard T. Pruinosa, always in old-tree neighborhoods. Next to be heard are my favorites, T Lyricen. Near the beginning of the season they are heard near dusk, but as the summer progresses, they’re heard all day. They have the sweetest, mellowist song: It starts like any other tibicen song, a rising buzz, then suddenly it changes to a soft whirring, like a rotating electric motor. A single specimen’s drums often go slightly ‘out-of-sync’, and you hear a harmonic beating in the whirring sound. Next to appear is the ‘morning cicada’, T. Chloromera <-spelled wrong! These are strange looking: VERY flat, wide heads, the most 'classic-looking' Tibicen type, powdered entiry bright white underneath, and with long, bend-down opercula. We also have the 'watch-winder', which looks outwardly like T pruinosa, but has uprasied ridges on the abdomen that meet and seal with the opercula, the chamber. Their song sounds like someone winding a clock. Later in the summer, appears (never very common) T Auletes, which I thought was the biggest. Their song has a hollow, sound, like a chorus of frogs, a long steady whistling drone, with a regular beating 'tocking' sound. These appear around here in old-tree areas, and often sing well after the sun has gone down. Latest cicada in the season, is a very small one, definately a Tibicen, has a very shrill scream that lasts for only 5 or 6 seconds. I've seen these in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where they're more common, but they also appear here in the DC area. Other unknown one that I've caught, have a song like a cross between T. Pruinosa, and T. Lyricens, and these are a bit smaller, similar color like Pruinosa, but have a black stripe down the powdered white underside of the abdomen, and black opercula. What American Cicada is the largest though? Fred -- Fred Berry, Virginia

why they sing in summer

Date: Tuesday, Apr/19/2005

Hi there. I’m fron Thailand and I wonder is it true that cicadas love to “sing” in Summer? If so, does it mean that they mate only in Summer? So what do they do in Winter? — Som, Thailand

Web de entomologia

Date: Tuesday, Mar/15/2005

web de entomologia ——entomology web in spanish http://jlmcsonora.tripod.com — Juan, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, M�xico

More Japanese Cicadas!

Date: Wednesday, Feb/23/2005

These are my favorites! I spent many years studying and collecting them. From tiny ones less than an inch long, to those that are among the largest (and loudest) in the world (listen to a Kuma Semi, their unearthly song travels for miles and stands right out from among the millions of other cicadas singing all around you. In full swing its call sounds like an ominous, inhuman voice, very clearly saying the word ‘HISS’ quickly, over and over again! To this day, no other cicada song impresses me as much! This type and its close and equally huge/loud relative the Yama Semi have tremendous drumheads and exotically shaped opercula. From above they look like giant versions of our dogday cicadas, with very wide heads, but their bodies are polished shiney black with powdered white line behind the drumheads, and covered with sparse golden hairs/dust that easily rubs off. In flight, they are very fast and agile, looking all the world like small birds! Love my semi!! — Fred, Virginia

Howdy

Date: Wednesday, Feb/16/2005

Howdy Dan and all the rest of the cicada watchers! 8>- x — cicada x, In

Leonardo Milhomem – Brasilia, Brazil Cicada Photos

Date: Monday, Feb/14/2005

Quesada Gigas can also be found in the United States. It sings at dusk and has a very interesting sound I would descibe as a tea kettle or a long high pitched whine. The location and time I have personally heard them is mid July at the San Antonio Texas KOA. — Mike, Columbia CT