I follow a narrow variety of people on Twitter, focusing on insect experts and enthusiasts, and specifically, many people who focus on cicadas. Too see all the folks I follow, Visit my Twitter account.
Only a percentage of their posts are about cicadas, but they are still the best bets for cicada news on Twitter.
Lindsay Popple @_DrPop_
Lindsay Popple runs the amazing Cicadas of Australia website. If you like cicadas in general, and specifically Australian cicadas, follow @_DrPop_.
Nathan Emery @ecotechnica
Nathan Emery, like his father David Emery is an expert on Australian cicadas. Follow him @ecotechnica.
Bill Reynolds @NCBugs
Bill has an amazing knowledge of the annual cicadas of North America, in particular Tibicen. Follow @NCBugs.
Want to meet other cicada fans, help with cicada science projects, or simply check out cicada photos, images, or video? Try these projects and links.
Connect to Cicada Mania
Cicadas @ UCONN Mapping Project
In 2014, contribute your Magicicada/Periodical/17 & 13 Year cicada sightings to Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org). They will add your report to their Google map.
Want to participate in a cicada community science project? Check out the cicada science projects on Cicada Central. There is the The Simon Lab Nymph Tracking Project and a Magicicada Biology Class Exercise.
I am interested in building a large cage, do you have any tips?
I am interested in building a large cage, do you have any tips?
Comment by Rw — February 17, 2011 [AT] 3:49 pm
I know its early but I have a theory on this years emergence of Brood XIX in Missouri
I know its early but I have a theory on this years emergence of Brood XIX in Missouri. After hearing about some 2010 stragglers from brood IV in eastern Kansas and witnessing a handful of stragglers in the Kansas City area myself, I am starting to wonder if we will see some of brood IV emerging 4 years early along with brood XIX. I’m curious to see if the Magicicadas in the areas of eastern kansas/western Missouri have changed their life cycle from 17 years to 13. It would be very interesting.
I admire your website and love it!!! Here in Brazil we see lots of cicadas everyday.
I posted here the link to my blog, where i do post every picture i take from cicadas here in Brazil. If i see a different cicada, a take several pics (and sometimes a videoshoot) and make a very detailed record of its features, including the song.
I wish you could publish the link to my blog (sorry but it’s in portuguese, but people can comment in english).
thanck you!!!
Comment by Franco — December 19, 2010 [AT] 9:50 am
Finally the big ones are out with loads of ‘red eyes’ (see Flickr) and green grocers/ morphs along the coast and around Canberra (around 10 species). A trip in western NSW over 4 days netted 22 species (4 new) and expanded distributions of many rarer ones. We have been collecting flannel flower seeds for a PhD project in november/december and found quite a few cicadas in the safaris. I hope to post some to Dan shortly, including the lovely 10mm Urabunana sericeivitta from Gosford, where we also found black princes, yellowbellies, double drummers, Pauropsaltas annulata and fuscata, and a Cicadetta ticker.
Although the larger ones are making plenty of noise, there are only small emergences of little species around Sydney.
Comment by David Emery — December 13, 2010 [AT] 7:38 pm
Hello all, With the current Cold front from up north, (Highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s), I think I have heard the last one a week ago for this year. It does get very cold — Freezing — in south florida.
Joe
Comment by Joe Green — December 8, 2010 [AT] 3:07 pm
Keep up the nice work David, and Joe, you are probably are one of the very few state-siders that still hears the cicada’s call. All insects here are pretty much gone. We wait patiently for northern spring!
Comment by Elias — November 28, 2010 [AT] 8:20 pm
Moderate emergences continue down under as the crazy wet/dry events keeep them low. Some hot waether last week heralded green grocers singing around Sydney (emerging around 2 weeks late). A 4-day run through western NSW yielded around 20 species (mostly 20mm body length) and linked distributions of speciemns from nothern and more southern areas. the species that seems to have benefitted from all the rain and grass growth is Cicadetta waterhousei that appears widespread in November. The Black Princes have emerged last week as well, so perhaps the larger species will follow in numbers. It’s not much of a season so far around Sydney and it’s raining again!
Comment by David Emery — November 28, 2010 [AT] 1:45 pm
Hello all, Sorry for the long hiatus, but haven’t been doing much cicada work lately but wanted to let north americans know that Tibicen davisi’s are still calling in south florida, west of Miami, fla. Seem’s I heard more males today than last week calling from pine tree’s.
Great to read post’s about what’s happening down under, keep them coming.
Joe Green
Comment by Joe Green — November 17, 2010 [AT] 5:47 pm
Hi Naomi, Probably you have a darker “yellow monday” that is pretty rare amongst colours of the GGs. As for the Aussie emergence around Sydney, the erratic cold and wet season has played havoc with the October species that have barely surfaced. ones that have, such as small squeakers and masked devil versions of the GGs have been silenced by the repeated rain. Some hot weather last weekend saw the double drummers coming out of their holes around 0830h in the morning and emerging on fences and trees en masse at Hawks Nest (like 4 years ago!). hope for some better finds in the next 2 weeks.
Comment by David E — November 15, 2010 [AT] 3:07 am
Hi. We have recently found an orange cicada that i think is a ‘red devil’. Are these rare? as i am used to seeing only the green grocer’s in victoria australia
Comment by Naomi — October 29, 2010 [AT] 12:51 pm
OK, the Aussie summer is underway with the first green grocers singing around western Sydney last night (12th October). One emerging GG was also posted on Flickr. The local bladder cicada population has reached at least 25 males and the smart large black and white birds (currawongs)are hanging about at dusk to catch the females flying in to the singing males. I have also heard 4 other species, but it is early days and more should emerge once this thunderstorm front moves through over the next 2 days.
Comment by David E — October 13, 2010 [AT] 2:50 am
Hello David,
Love the picture of the bladder cicada! Please send more pictures of other species! Dead quiet here in NY. I am going to follow the Australian cicadas now!!
Take care
Elias
Comment by Elias — September 17, 2010 [AT] 3:45 pm
No Elias- Lindsay’s is the best.
Comment by David Emery — September 12, 2010 [AT] 7:15 pm
Hello David. Found this site with the calls of Australian cicadas and pictures. http://sci-s03.bacs.uq.edu.au/ins-info/index.htm
Do you have any other sites to learn about these fascianting species?
Comment by Elias — September 12, 2010 [AT] 4:29 pm
The early guys are emerging in Sydney. Bladder cicadas (Cystosoma saundersi)and Cicadetta celis (silver princess) were heard on Sept 10.
Comment by David Emery — September 12, 2010 [AT] 3:43 pm
I have a captive T. davisi that is doing quite well in captivity. Today is day #16. The record is held by a captive T. auletes lasting 23 days in captivity. Wonder what the longest length of time a cicada has been kept in captivity?
Comment by Elias — September 12, 2010 [AT] 6:23 am
Hello David, Time to turn the spotlight onto the Southern Hemisphere!!
New York has fallen silent. Northern cicada-maniacs will live vicariously through you.
-Elias
Comment by Elias — September 11, 2010 [AT] 9:09 am
Move aside all of you dying Tibicens– bladder cicadas are emerging down under for the start of the orchestral entertainment in the southern hemisphere!!
Comment by David E — September 7, 2010 [AT] 4:28 am
Sounds like a Tibicen tibicen aka chloromera aka Swamp Cicada.
Comment by Dan — August 28, 2010 [AT] 5:20 pm
I’ve run across a few very large, very loud cicadas in the St.George area of South Carolina in the last few days. (Southeast corner of intersection of I-26 and I-95). They are mostly black, with a little white on top with white bellies. As big as my thumb. I captured one in a jar this evening — frightening — and the dog is going crazy for them. The hundreds in the trees join into a wave of noise every few minutes.
Comment by Dimitri — August 28, 2010 [AT] 5:13 pm
Its Day 3 for the male Tibicen canicularis I have in captivity. It produced a week alarm squawk yesterday. Will see how long it can be kept alive.
Comment by Elias — August 23, 2010 [AT] 3:54 am
That is a Tibicen cicada.
Comment by Dan — August 19, 2010 [AT] 6:22 pm
Here is a link to pictures of what my husband and I think is a Cicada. We live in New York State. Does anyone know if this is actually a Cicada?
Comment by Sally B — August 19, 2010 [AT] 6:08 pm
Here in New York Tibicen linnei and Tibicen chloromera are still going strong. My captive auletes died 23 days post emergence. Another observation is that the Cicada killers appear to be finished early as no more adult females were seen by the lek in a nearby park. Not to long left to the Northern cicada season!
Comment by Elias — August 16, 2010 [AT] 3:58 am
Aug 14, 6:30pm. We are having a large swarm flying Round our yard now(50-100) south of Rock Falls, IL.
Comment by Kim — August 14, 2010 [AT] 4:56 pm
Hello Steve, Great to see your shared enthusiasm for this remarkable insect. T. auletes is my favorite species. IF you can find a male eclosing and rear it in captivity, it will provide you with tons of entertainment. Have one that is 15 days old now.
Caught some stragglers from Brood II last year. Only Magicicada septendecim. I believe cassini and septendecula may be mixed in.
I am going to travel to see Brood XIX. It would be my first contact with the thirteen year species.
Comment by Elias — August 6, 2010 [AT] 3:28 pm
Elias, our main species here in eastern Kansas and Western Missouri are T.Pruinosa, T.Walkeri and T. Auletes. I have heard T.Chloromera and T.Canicularis and we have quite a few T.Dorsatus in the open areas around here.
I’m curious to see what happens with brood XIX next year as we are to have a decent brood right up to western Missouri, pretty close to Kansas City. We had an emergence of about 15-20 Periodicals in early June this year which were from brood IV due here in 2015. It was a rather large number as far as stragglers go. They were all in a small area as well. They were M. Cassini’s so maybe we will see an early emergence here. Should be interesting to say the least. I will try and take some pictures if we get a decent number of Tibicen emerging again tonight. My kids are fascinated with them and I guess I am too 😉
Comment by Steve — August 6, 2010 [AT] 7:14 am
Nice job Steve! We here in the North East never get to see such large #’s of cicadas except (Periodical Cicada emergences). What other species do you have by you? Kansas is particularly blessed. Here is a great paper on the biology of Kansas cicadas. http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/c700lb28.pdf
Comment by Elias — August 6, 2010 [AT] 3:50 am
Got home from school tonight and found no less than 17 emerging Tibicen on 2 trees in my back yard. Looks like about ten of them are Tibicen Marginalis(Walkeri)several Tibicen Pruinosus and 2 Tibicen Auletes. The last 3 nights here in Kansas City have been pretty incredible. Averaging about 10-20 a night. Have a good mix of the 3 species singing right in the backyard each day and evening.
Comment by Steve — August 5, 2010 [AT] 8:25 pm
257 Comments
Went light collecting in New Jersey again — recovered 3 T. lyricen females. 88 degrees F (31 deg C) yesterday at night. No neocicada or auletes. First auletes eclosing was recovered 7/22. That was a beautiful sight. Waited many years to see that!!
Comment by Elias — July 25, 2010 [AT] 6:49 am
Went to Lakewood NJ yesterday. The light hunting technique finally worked! Captured 2 Neocicada hieroglyphica and 1 Tibicen lyricen male that flew to a ground based bright lighting system. Temperature was around 80 degrees (F) (27 deg C). Heard a fast tempo T. auletes call which was much faster than the others that called at the usual slow tempo. Also heard Tibicen chloromera, a species I never heard in the pine barrens before.
Comment by Elias — July 18, 2010 [AT] 6:21 am
Yes Joe — Still have to catch my 1st nymph!! have a bunch of days off so will have some fun now! Good luck down in FL.
Comment by Elias — July 16, 2010 [AT] 8:03 pm
JULY, is cicada season, all over the USA, It seems they started to call early due to the hot weather and dry conditions here.
joe
Comment by Joe Green — July 15, 2010 [AT] 4:06 pm
Hello all, Cicada season has started in NY. Heard Tibicen lyricen and Tibicen chloromera calling. No exuvia found yet. Last year it was July 14th that I found the first nymph and a little later before I actually heard one.
Great to hear from you Joe — will let you know when I make it down to West Palm. Hopefully will do it soon!!
Comment by Dan — July 2, 2010 [AT] 5:54 pm
Elias, So far D. viridifascia has been diffacult to catch, most are high up in tree’s to carch. Some that sound low, they seem to shut-up when approched which makes for a quik get away before I spot him.
Let me know if or when your in west palm — July and Augest is good months here.
Comment by Joe Green — July 2, 2010 [AT] 1:33 pm
I live near Nashville and recall a HUGE emergence in 1994 (maybe 1995??), but can’t seem to find any record of it and that year doesn’t fit the published brood cycles. Anyone else with me on that?
Comment by CKintheMJ — July 2, 2010 [AT] 12:05 pm
Hello Joe, At some point have to get down to West Palm. I have heard diceroprocta viridifascia and olympusa last year. Never saw a live specimen or exuvia/nymph.
I have a week off coming in June — will have to do an Okanagana expedition then. Will keep you posted. Cant believe cicada season is here already! Felt like it snuck up on me!
Elias
Comment by Elias — June 3, 2010 [AT] 4:36 am
Elis, I hear more when I travel inland from the coastlal region (Western side of Florida heading toward Lake Okachobee. More hieroglyphica’s, the most I can recall ever here In the city limits this early. Time to begin hunting and good luck on those Okanagana’s, keep us posted .
Joe
Comment by Joe Green — June 1, 2010 [AT] 3:35 pm
Hello Joe, Watched your video. Firmly cements D. olympusa’s call in my brain. Have to start getting stuff together for some hunts this year. Hoping to see/catch Okanagana this year. I know the feeling about work — so tired from this weekend but got a 5 day Memorial Day vacation coming up!
Comment by Elias — May 24, 2010 [AT] 7:15 pm
Elias, I can only assume that the abundant calls on N. hieroglyphica means its a good year for cicada’s, more than previous years. This weekend while working I heard Dicroprocta olympusa calling in Lehigh Acres, florida from pine tree’s. So I think, I’ll get my gear ready to collect some 2010 specimens, however I’m getting tired of work spoiling my weekend hunts like this weekend.
Comment by Joe Green — May 24, 2010 [AT] 4:06 pm
Hello Joe,
Yes — did hear them in July in central NJ. Do they go to lights too? That may be my one chance to get them. The summer was so cold last year that light collecting produced 2 T. chloromera, 1 T. lyricen and 1 T. auletes (first specimen). If Spring helps predict summer this should be good. Will keep you thoroughly updated. It was nice hearing cicada calls so early in Florida.
Comment by Elias — May 24, 2010 [AT] 12:42 am
Elis, Keep looking and listning around your area, june — August would be a good time to search in your area. I’d say the best calling time is mid day to evening the hottest part of the day, even though thay call from Dawn to Dusk, this is the time period I hear more of them calling. I’ve noticed that at chico’s today not many were calling at 2:00pm, I wonder if the males have mated with females and died off???
Comment by Joe Green — May 22, 2010 [AT] 5:09 pm
Hello Joe,
Specimens of Neocicada have been reported at the eastern end of Long Island about 100 years ago. Need to get out there this June and confirm those data points. Would be very interesting if i can find them!!
Comment by Elias — May 22, 2010 [AT] 2:34 pm
Elias, I’m glad you have them that far north, Sanborn says thay range to that area north and as far west as Arkansas/Texas south down into mexico. Remember the one’s you heard in orlando are varation johanns, and those in New jersey are N. hieroglyphica regular species here in the US. I don’t know any spacific’s but they sound the same in calling song.
Hopefuly we can communica more later.
Joe
Comment by Joe Green — May 19, 2010 [AT] 4:53 pm
Thank you Joe for your thorough and informative response. I have located neocicada in mid New Jersey. Also Davis places there most Northern range at the end of Long Island. I will have to invstigate this year. I hope to capture a specimen from NJ in addition to getting some more Auletes. Cant seem to get enough of that species!!
Comment by Elias — May 18, 2010 [AT] 1:17 pm
Hello Mark, The Percey Prist Lake area is a good place to find cicada’s, lots of land and parks. Glad to hear there are stragglers 1-year early in that area as I’ll be there next year for the big explosion next year in 2011. Its the great 13 year brood that I’ll be conducting work in Georgia, Alabama, Tenneessee and maybe the Carolina’s. I understand that there are large locations located in sections of those states. Most magicicada’s have a resting period before heading to the tree’s for mateing higher up, some of them like to conduct business down low however.
joe
Comment by Joe Green — May 17, 2010 [AT] 5:49 pm
Hello Elias, Neo hieroglyphica shells and nymph’s are small, they are a medium sized cicada when they turn to adults. Only when I get lucky do I find a nymph only on a tree. They have a uncanny ability to know when you are there, because I find them stopped on the tree (Not moving like Tibicen’s or magicada’s do when approched) not knowing if they are anchored for molt, I not the place & tree, then come back in a few minutes only to find the nymph has move farther up the tree, and yes its stopped not moving when I spot him. I find them mostely in the molting process and just a magicicada’s (White) they are easy to spot neocicada (Light green). I have found molting one’s in the morning, noon, evening and dusk but more of them at dusk time just before it gets dark. Exuvia-you must look close on the tree’s, I’ve found their molts on grass, sticks laying on the ground, base’s of the trunks of tree’s to as high up as 10 feet high in the tree. Best thing i can say is take your time when looking, I’ve found more on the ground than on trees. As far as catching them goes, I’ve had more fun with a net because sometime’s you have to figure out how to position the net in the best way to capture the adult cicada if there’s not to many limbs, leaves or stuff to do so. Otherwise you must dislodge the cicada from the present perch to a new location if you can follow the flight path. Maybe you can catch him. If you find large aggrations of calling males it is possable to catch them by hand without a net if they are low to the ground, otherwise your going to need a good pair of Binocolars to spot them on the limbs.
Joe
Comment by Joe Green — May 17, 2010 [AT] 5:20 pm
Heard Neocicada hieroglyphica call in the trees in the back parking lot of the Hilton Hotel on Buena Vista drive, Orlando, Florida. I was unable to locate exuvia or nymphs. Probably Joe Green would be the best equipped to answer this question — what is the best way to capture an adult specimen in addition to nymphs/exuvia?
Comment by Elias — May 14, 2010 [AT] 9:49 pm
Went out to feed the birds and noticed cicada shells everywhere. As I looked down I saw them in the grass also. Upon closer inspection I saw the insects and they appear to be the Magicicada that I have seen posted. There were dozens just sitting everywhere.. so I guess they are drying out. We live in the Priest Lake area of Nashville.
Comment by Mark — May 12, 2010 [AT] 6:08 am
Since 4/24/2010 there has been a incress in numbers of Neocicada hieroglyphia’s here in south florida. I have been keeping a emergance log of this species for 6 years now and they uselly start out slow and I don’t heard large numbers until June. This week, large groups (Dozens) calling from Oak tree’s at work. My friends are also reporting hearing them from other parts of the area. I’m going to a few sites to check out whats happening with my camera and camrecorder ready.
Thanks, Joe
Comment by Joe Green — May 9, 2010 [AT] 7:00 am
We’ve seen a few today in Brentwood, TN — – YUCK
Comment by erin — May 8, 2010 [AT] 1:32 pm
Randall, the ones that are out now are stragglers, emerging a year early. If you like, submit your sighting to magicicada.org and they’ll put it on their map.
Comment by Dan — May 8, 2010 [AT] 9:47 am
in Nashville. We noted this weekend the emergence of what appears to be 13-year cicada. I have lived here for the last two emergence in 1985 and 1998.
They are not due again till 2011! Isn’t this about a year and a month early?
We have had a recent flood (15 inches in two days) last weekend. Would that cause an early emergence?
Comment by Randall — May 8, 2010 [AT] 9:05 am
I know it is late in the season, are cicadas still active in Australia?
Comment by Elias — March 30, 2010 [AT] 9:06 am
Hi Helen, It IS a great year for the big cicadas around NSW except for the riverina. If rain holds off, they should start diminishing by late January. They ARE excellent perch (bass) bait, although the “crazy crawler” lures that flop across the surface like cicadas are sure-fire as well.
David
Comment by David E — January 11, 2010 [AT] 7:40 pm
Do you know where can I purchase some cicadas? Please send me any information that you can to my email directly. Thank you for your help in advance.
These questions come from the old General Cicada Questions message board. The questions and answers are in reverse order. URLs found in comments are old and likely do not work.
eBay.com is a good place to find cicadas.
eBay.com is a good place to find cicadas.
Comment by Dan — December 29, 2010 [AT] 5:27 pm
I am looking to buy about 10 cicadas(dead of corse) for my daughters science project.
I am looking to buy about 10 cicadas(dead of corse) for my daughters science project.
Comment by missy — December 29, 2010 [AT] 4:59 pm
Hi, just found your great website while trying to identify a cicada I photographed recently in Central Queensland
Hi, just found your great website while trying to identify a cicada I photographed recently in Central Queensland. Do you have any idea what this one is? I’ve had a look at the most common ones and quite a few more, but have not identified it as yet.
We’ve recently been inundated with them — a very large bunch have been serenading us (more probably the girl cicadas) from a tree next-door. They’re the loudest I’ve ever heard!
When did you take it? Sounds like it could be a Magicicada (Periodical Cicada). Please email the picture to Dan, the creator of this awesome website and he can help you further! cicadamania [AT] gmail.com
Comment by Elias — August 1, 2010 [AT] 8:43 pm
I have a wonderful picture of a cicada after it has ‘hatched’.
I have a wonderful picture of a cicada after it has ‘hatched’. It’s white with read eyes still hanging onto the husk of the pulpa. How can I post it here — I have NO idea what kind, etc.
Robin
Comment by Robin — July 29, 2010 [AT] 9:10 pm
I believe the white strands are connected to the spiracles
Hello Suzanne,
I believe the white strands are connected to the spiracles, the cicada’s respiratory system. As far as the gel, there are two possibilities. One is that sometimes during eclosion (coming out of its shell) a cicada urinates. A second possibility is that it was damaged and some hemolymph (cicada blood) leaked out. This usually chabges to a black tarry substance and deforms the wings if it gets on there. The process of changing to an adult is a lot of work so it can definitely appear like a struggle. Lastly, if it came out during the morning, there is a high likely hood that a bird ate it.
Comment by Elias — July 28, 2010 [AT] 3:26 am
I found a cicada on the ground who had fallen from his perch
I found a cicada on the ground who had fallen from his perch. It seems as though his shell dried to much before he could get all the way out. Is there anything I can do to help?
Comment by cammie Wiggins — July 27, 2010 [AT] 5:40 pm
With the explosions of cicada in SE Ohio this week
With the explosions of cicada in SE Ohio this week (temps over 90 and heat index above 100) why do we not see birds with fat full tummies? What are the natural predators of cicada, and when can we expect to see them kick in? Songs are loud and long chorus at dusk around here now, up from just a few alternating songs last weekend at dusk.
Found a dead adult in our driveway today, and an empty nymph shell under a mailbox two days ago. What brood is this, and how can you tell they are periodic and not annual? thanks.
Comment by Kirk G — July 24, 2010 [AT] 6:26 pm
I saw a cicada this morning as it was emerging from it’s shell.
I saw a cicada this morning as it was emerging from it’s shell. I was fascinated. It pulled on it’s “tail” (don’t know the correct terms) and this gel looking stuff came out. Then his wings seemed to get bigger? I watched him for a long time. It seems like he was struggling and kept pulling on a long white appendage coming from his abdomen. Looked like some alien movie to me! Can you tell me what he was doing? I went inside for a while and when I went back outside and looked for him, all I found was his wings! I’m wondering if a bird ate him. Poor little guy. I felt sorry for him.
Comment by Suzanne Prince — July 17, 2010 [AT] 6:57 am
I live in Mississippi and pretty sure there is an Australian Green Grocer Cicada hanging on my front door
I live in Mississippi and pretty sure there is an Australian Green Grocer Circada hanging on my front door. He is unbelievably loud.
Comment by Steve — June 25, 2010 [AT] 10:10 pm
Okanagana cicadas are very interesting.
Okanagana cicadas are very interesting. Here in the North East we have two species, Okanagana rimosa and O. canadensis. This is O. rimosa http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/cicadas/popup_okanrimo.html
This is O. canadensis: http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/cicadas/popup_okancana.html
Thanks to SONGS OF INSECTS for their great website and book. This species is commonly overlooked as they sound like grasshoppers or katydids! Their nymphs have an interesting pattern of dark stripes. Are there any pictures of the New Jersey Specimens?? They should be peaking around now. Please listen for them and report them here.
Take care,
Elias
Comment by Elias — June 15, 2010 [AT] 9:11 pm
Possibly an Orientopsaltria species.
Possibly an Orientopsaltria species. Need a shot of the underside (opercula). See Duffels, J.P. and Zaidi, M. 2000. A revision of the cicada genus Orientopsaltria Kato (Homoptera, Cicadidae) from Southeast Asia. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 142:195-297.
Comment by David E — June 12, 2010 [AT] 3:53 am
I have an unidentified cicada seen in Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia in August 2009.
Hi!
I have an unidentified cicada seen in Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia in August 2009.
Here are the photos :
http://bit.ly/bYolcy
http://bit.ly/chPhD1
Could anyone point me to a family/genus?
Thank you
Comment by Sophie — June 11, 2010 [AT] 3:48 am
That’s actually cool news. I’ve lived in Jersey for most of the past 40 years, and I’ve never seen an Okanagana. There’s hope for me yet!
Comment by Dan — June 9, 2010 [AT] 9:30 am
CORRECTION!! the two 6/8 cicadas found in Jefferson, NJ were Genus Okanagana, and not Magicicada. Very sorry but glad to correct it! (Thanks to Dave Moskowitz)
Comment by Scott McDonnell — June 9, 2010 [AT] 9:24 am
[AT] Scott — in your location it would be Brood II.
Comment by Dan — June 9, 2010 [AT] 4:06 am
Found two magicicadas, (late XIV or early II?), mating in Jefferson Township, NJ on June 8, 2010.
Comment by Scott McDonnell — June 8, 2010 [AT] 10:09 pm
According to Marlatt’s maps, Kentucky is in Brood XIX territory. Please report your findings here and to magicicada.org.
Comment by Elias — June 3, 2010 [AT] 4:38 am
Walking in Red River Gorge in eastern KY today, we found a couple of fresh Magicicada wings with the unmistakable orange veins along the path to Auxier Ridge. We also heard just a few of them singing. These must either be stragglers or early appearing ones, as they were few and far between. Any ideas as to which brood they might belong to?
Comment by Roberta Burnes — May 29, 2010 [AT] 1:17 pm
Hello Lady I posted pictures of hatchling nymphs on this site. i believe there are others who have contributed photographs too. They have legs and look like small clumsy termites to the naked eye. Most nymphs are usually whitish. Maybe you found a beetle grub which has small underdeveloped legs. Good luck!
Comment by Elias — May 24, 2010 [AT] 12:44 am
Hi. I was digging up a mulberry sapling today and found something that resembled a cicada larva. But it doesn’t have any legs. It was roughly the same size as a nymph, reddish-brown in color, but no legs. I could make out it’s eyes on the front of it. I was just wondering, does a nymph hatch with legs? this thing doesn’t have any.
It was about 4 to 6 inches down, in loose earth. i put it in a flowerpot with the sapling, about 6 inches down, but I’m worried about watering my plant now. will it be okay? if you can help, Thanks!
Comment by LadyStarscream — May 11, 2010 [AT] 12:22 pm
Looking for a few Brood X skins or specimens from the 2004 Indiana emergence. Already checked ebay. I’m doing an art piece and don’t really need beautifully displayed specimens, but I’ll be happy to find anything!
Comment by Courtenay — April 8, 2010 [AT] 7:48 pm
I wrote a story about a cicada, please let me know what you think of it.
http://bit.ly/b6VQFU
If you like it, please share the link with your friends.
Thank you.
: ^ )
Phantomimic
Comment by Phantomimic — March 7, 2010 [AT] 3:44 pm
Probably have about 200 cicada nymphal shells on hand from all different species. What types are you looking for?
Comment by Elias — February 2, 2010 [AT] 7:29 pm
Elizabeth,
Try ebay.
Comment by Dan — January 31, 2010 [AT] 5:33 pm
I am looking to acquire a rather large collection of cast-off cicada shells for a creative project with my 7 year old son. We’ve been collecting them for a few years, but are only upto about 20 and I’m hopeful to get 200+. Perhaps we’ll travel in 2012 to one of the 17-year sites? Figured I’d put the request out there though, in case someone has a large collection they are considering selling…
Comment by Elizabeth — January 31, 2010 [AT] 5:18 pm
It is 18 degrees Fahrenheit today. Wishing I was in Australia……..
I wanted to mention that I heard several Periodicals(cassini) in blue springs around the first week of June. Maybe a total of about 15 0r 20 in 2 trees.
Comment by Steve Karan — July 1, 2010 [AT] 2:01 pm
Heard a cassini singing in the trees for about 45 minutes today in Loveland. It was finally sunny and warm enough for it after 7 days of cool weather.
Comment by Roy Troutman — May 22, 2010 [AT] 6:15 pm
May 15, 2010 M cassini, Milford, OH (Cincinnati)
Comment by Jennifer Taylor — May 14, 2010 [AT] 7:53 am
I forgot to mention that the greenway is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The largest concentration of cicadas was observed between the 3-mile and 3.25-mile markers (between Johnston Rd and Hwy 51). Also, several adults had the Massospora cicadina fungal disease.
Comment by Lenny Lampel — May 11, 2010 [AT] 6:05 am
I observed a small emergence of one year early stragglers of Brood XIX on Monday, May 10. There were several dozen calling along a one mile stretch of the Lower McAlpine Greenway. The emergence appeared to be entirely Magicicada tredecassini. Interestingly, the emergence occurred in a floodplain forest. Good numbers of exuviae were observed on wetland shrubs and grasses and numerous live adults were on the ground and flying between trees. Several grackles were seen eating the cicadas and yellow-billed cuckoos and great-crested flycatchers were also in the area and were extremely vocal.
Comment by Lenny Lampel — May 11, 2010 [AT] 5:59 am
These questions come from the old General Cicada Questions message board. The questions and answers are in reverse order. URLs found in comments are old and likely do not work.
Hi Jay- the bottle exuviae are similar to the “floury Baker” (Aleeta curvicosta) and I shall try to post a picture. Max Mould’s book “Australian cicadas” has a picture. My daughter was at Hawk’s Nest last week and caught a few smaller species. One was black and about 12mm long (with wings)and has a different song to similar species around sydney here.
To Vhem,
Around 18C is about the temp for green grocers (GGs) to sing at night. I have noticed recently that our local bottle cicadas will sing on evenings that are around 16C. If the temp is hot, GGs will sing around every 4 hours during the night. Those bugs ain’t so small- I guess it depends what species are out in numbers around your place!
David
Comment by David Emery — December 17, 2009 [AT] 10:17 pm
Hi there We live on the Central Coast of NSW and the cicada’s are out and going for it. Have noticed that alot of people mention how loud they are but maybe we are just use to it. My daughter spends her time searching for the spent cicada shells and now has quite a collection. While looking at these shells and listening to their song, my children and myself were discussing the why’s and how’s of cicada and my eldest mentioned that the cicada will only start to sing once the temperature has reached a certain degree, I agreed with him that I had once heard this too. We’ve tried some internet searching and have come up with no ansewer to our question.
So we now ask you budding cicada enthusiasts is this fact or myth. If it is fact what is the temperature that makes these cute little bugs sing for us all day.
ps: your site is great — we learnt alot about cicadas from your site.
cheers — vhem
(veronica, hayden, ethan, madison)
Comment by veronica — December 17, 2009 [AT] 5:34 pm
thanx David — I should have known there’ld be more than one “midget”. They are black, about one third your little finger in length. U probably know them well but if I can grab a pic, I will. Why is it I’ve not seen a Bottle casting? Would I know the diffrence if I saw one? Jay
Comment by Jay — December 16, 2009 [AT] 8:35 pm
Hi Jay,
Sydney bottles are isolated populations and there are certainly more on the central coast down to Avoca beach. What do you mean by “midget” as there are around 10 species from central coast? Would be useful to post a photo. The Blue mountains are heaving with the medium and smaller species as well at the moment, probably reflecting recent fires and recurrent showers.
David.
Comment by David E — December 9, 2009 [AT] 4:01 pm
g’day Cicada maniacs — how is it I didn’t even know about Bottle Cicadas, let alone see them, in all my years in Sydney. discovered them on the Central Coast, just 50ks north. And why are there some with both sets of wings and others with inner set only? The ones in my area have both.
It’s cicada Heaven here at the moment for green, black, midget and bottle. thanx, Jay
Comment by Jay — December 8, 2009 [AT] 2:12 am
Elias, I can get you some exuviae here if you like. Contact Dan for my email.
David.
Comment by David E — November 27, 2009 [AT] 8:33 pm
Chris, Definitely a Pauropsalta mneme- called the “alarm clock ticker” because of the shrill buzz. It has a huge range in NSW. They are emerging around Canberra now, along with about 6-8 other species.
David.
Comment by David E — November 27, 2009 [AT] 8:32 pm
Chris,
That looks like a Pauropsalta mneme.
Comment by Dan — November 24, 2009 [AT] 7:37 pm
Hi,
I managed to photograph a cicada at a site in the central tablelands on NSW Australia.last week, rather small about 35mm long. An image can be found at this link:
Hoping I can get an ID, seems to be hard to find references to cicadas on the net.
regards,
Chris Ross
Comment by Chris Ross — November 24, 2009 [AT] 6:24 pm
I am also very interested in exuvia (nymph shells). I was lucky to collect about 26 exuvia of Tibicen auletes, North America’s largest cicada. I have a specimen of Pomponia imperatoria as an adult. Really would like to get a nymphal exuvia. I checked the links Dan provided and couldn’t find any. Does anyone know where to find one?
Comment by Elias — November 21, 2009 [AT] 3:11 pm
In Center City Philadelphia, cicada singing is common in August. What species might this be?
Comment by Kenneth Frank — November 15, 2009 [AT] 7:06 pm
Can Cicadas loose a leg and survive?
I accidently hurt a cicada that I found when shaking the washing.
It is resting in a tree in shock as it had lost one leg from the knee, though has all other legs.
Hasn’t moved much all day, though walked up branch about 20 centremetres.
I havent ever seen one here and was not expecting to find one on washing. Will have to check dry clothes from now on.
xx ab
Comment by Alicia Bee — November 15, 2009 [AT] 4:13 am
Hi Dave J, Will see what I can do- there are quite a few GGs out now and we caught 2 Thopha (DDs) emerging yesterday around Kempsey on the north coast- first of the season so far.You had best contact Dan for my email and then I can get your postal address.
cheers,
David.
Comment by David E — November 9, 2009 [AT] 3:02 am
Hello David Emery in Sydney I assume. Could you send me some green grocer & or Double drummer shells. I need about 20 or so….will be glad to pay shipping. Was in Sydney once, Farmer’s Cove, burned the crap out of my thigh collecting some sort of palm seeds (red furry little rascals) that I had put in my pocket!
Cheers, Dave
Comment by Dave J — November 5, 2009 [AT] 2:27 pm
To Dave J- depends where in the world you are. Most of the shells in the tropics will be degraded by now. In Sydney, we have some green grocer shells (2 weeks old) that are around 5cm long. If you wait a month you can secure some Double drummer shells that are larger!!
Comment by David Emery — November 2, 2009 [AT] 9:50 pm
Cicadas of the genus Pomponia are the largest.
Comment by Dan — November 2, 2009 [AT] 8:31 pm
I need the largest cicada shells available for an art project. Where can I get them?
Comment by Dave J — November 2, 2009 [AT] 10:21 am
Hi Elias, Most emerge in the early evening to make the most of the bird-free zone. Some unfortunates (including me) run into some rather carnivorous tree crickets, huntsman (tarantula) spiders and nocturnal ants at night, but most emergences are uncomplicated. some cicadas get their times awry and maybe left coming out at sunrise.
We have several species that also emerge before dawn (Frogattoides pallida and F.typica in the desert) and if emergences are large, some like Thopha saccata (double drummer), Psaltoda plaga and Ps moerens (black prince and red-eye, respectively) and even small Urabunana verna, will emerge during the day- like your Magis! They’re all in Max’s book.
We have just had a week of wet weather with 75mm rain, so now things are heating up. I have noted 12 species out so far around Sydney.
Comment by David E — October 30, 2009 [AT] 5:04 pm
Hello David, Do you notice any different times for nymphs to come above ground? Do some species prefer times other than 8-10PM?
Thanks for your replies.
Elias
Comment by Elias — October 25, 2009 [AT] 6:38 pm
I know that problem! One solution I found is I have small containers with completely flat surfaces and nothing to climb on. I place one newly captured, non eclosing nymph into each container. As long as the nymph remains in the prone position, they usually do not eclose (I have seen some exceptions, especially with T. cannicularis for some reason). Got this tip from Gerry Bunker and it works most of the time. Maybe the Green Grocers act differently? I love Australian Cicadas. I have been through Max Mould’s book many times. Please keep us posted!!
Comment by Elias — October 24, 2009 [AT] 7:05 am
Yeah Elias, If you take them off the trees when emerging and don’t hook them (shells or exuviae) into a curtain or the inside of the “boot” (“trunk” to you in the USA) of the car, you will get loads of deformities as the larger ones can’t emerge correctly on their sides or backs. Nylon shirts are great to sink the claws into, but in the field, the boot of the car is great for transportation!!
Cheers,
David.
Comment by David E — October 21, 2009 [AT] 3:13 am
Awesome pictures, David. You found many Green Grocer nymphs that eclosed. Seems like many specimens were deformed by hemolymph. The cicadas of Australia are nice and big for the most part. We live vicariously through you. I wonder if its possible to post some videos of them calling. Hopefully this will be a fruitful summer for you. Here in NY, it’s is cold and rainy and the cicadas have been dead for over a month. Can’t complain however, I did manage to capture my first Tibicen auletes.
Comment by Elias — October 18, 2009 [AT] 6:28 am
Here’s some Green Grocers. Kevin’s photos.
Comment by Dan — October 13, 2009 [AT] 6:59 pm
Hi Dan, As you northerners rue the passing of summer and dream about next season, I will just let you know that the Green Grocer cicadas (Cyclochila australasiae) have commenced emerging in the mountains west of Sydney. The Sydney city emergence should start in a couple of weeks.
David.
Comment by David Emery — October 13, 2009 [AT] 6:34 pm
Quesada gigas song:
Cicada metamorfosis:
Text PDF about brazilian cicadas, with photos:
http://www.acervodigital.ufrrj.br/insetos/insetos_do_brasil/conteudo/tomo_03/02_cicadoida.pdf
Comment by wenilton luis daltro — October 9, 2009 [AT] 6:52 am
Do cicadas normally live in WESTERN Oregon? We heard one there this summer, and while I grew up in W. Oregon, I don’t believe they normally occur there, and had never heard of it before. I’ve been trying to figure it out from the internet stuff, but all I could find was that they DO occur in EASTERN Oregon, which is a much dryer climate (sage brush & juniper as opposed to ferns, moss, and big trees in the W.) I was just curious, because we’ve also seen praying mantis in western OR and WA in the last few years, and they were never native here, either. Please e-mail me at ciscoshirlbw [AT] yahoo.com
Thanks
Comment by Shirley — October 3, 2009 [AT] 3:00 pm
Wow, it is not even Spring yet for Australia and cicadas are out already! Hope this is a great season for you David. Bladder cicadas have a very interesting morphology.
Comment by Elias — September 18, 2009 [AT] 4:08 am
Bladder cicadas (Cystostoma saundersi) are out in Sydney Australia. The Aussie cicada season is open for business!
Comment by David Emery — September 16, 2009 [AT] 4:18 pm
It’s September 15 in Frederick Maryland and the cicadas have stopped singing 🙁 Last night they were talking up storm. They had so much to say. Today it is so quiet. It’s sad. Every year, one day in the middle of September, they just stop. Fall is coming. I do love Fall, but I will miss the cicadas’ song until next July.
Comment by Alison — September 15, 2009 [AT] 7:52 am
I would assume they were house fly or blue/green bottle fly larva. Cicada killers seal the cicadas in a cell and lay an egg on them. It is not possible to come upon a cicada kiler larva by chance alone above ground.
Comment by Elias — September 9, 2009 [AT] 3:29 am
We found a dead cicada on our porch. My daughter was checking it out when a maggot started coming out of it. We put the cicada in a plastic cup and 3 more maggots eventually came out of the cicada. I read some about the cicada killer wasps but this doesn’t seem like a cicada killer. Does anyone know what the maggots could be?
Comment by Valerie — September 8, 2009 [AT] 7:59 pm
Hi Jennifer: Elias is correct that the “blood” is cicada blood or haemolymph. We have moved hundreds of emerging cicadas from local tress onto our house curtains so my kids could watch and photograph emergence. During eclosion or emergence, cicadas pump this around to initially “force’ open the shell, probably with the help of a few proteases (that means the shells are “medicinal” and anti-febrile for traditional medicine!!) and pump the head and thorax through the split followed by legs. Then they hang to harden the legs before extracting the rest of the body (abdomen) and ahnging from the shell (exuviae)- fantastic to watch!! They then pump haemolymph into the patent wing veins to expand the wings- these veins collapse when the wings harden and dry in the breeze and sun. If there is a lesion or malfunction causing “bleeding”, there is usually a casuality in the emergence or in wing expansion, making them as easy target for predators.
Comment by David Emery — September 1, 2009 [AT] 7:21 pm
Rachelle, I, too, live in NY. We have cicadas here and no need to report them! If you wish to send me the specimen I can identify it for you. i live in Queens County.
Jennifer, I have seen this phenomenon too. When there is less undergrowth, cicadas compete for sites to eclose. They can injury each other with their sharp forelegs or be injured by ants and spiders looking to feed on them. Also during the eclose process injuries can occur. The bluish jelly like material is “hemolymph”i.e. cicada blood ,and turns black when exposed to the air. When they “bleed” alot, they usually fail to eclose. I hope this helps.
Comment by Elias — September 1, 2009 [AT] 2:59 pm
thanks Dan — presumably therefore, it only takes one to start and within a second, they’re all at it. How it is that they all end at the same time remains a mystery. I’ll be listening more intently this summer.
Comment by Jay — September 1, 2009 [AT] 3:41 am
I’ve been “helping” our regular, 2 year cicadas for years when they come out of the ground and I’ve seen all kinds of conditions and problems. One problem really “bugs” me (pun intended). I come across a few each year that seem to have some sort of bleeding disorder. They rarely make it off the ground. The “blood” pools behind the shell and I can see the black through the shell and even seeping out through the shell. They have no sign of injury. They just keep bleeding from all over. Every now and then I will find one that has “eclosed” (borrowing a term from butterflies), but the adult ends up bleeding all over the tree and doesn’t survive. Has anyone else seen this and has anyone come across any research that describes something like this, assuming there is research about the physical workings of cicadas?
Comment by Jennifer — August 30, 2009 [AT] 8:19 pm
Help! It’s 8.31.09, I’m in Brooklyn, NY and found one just like the blue/green one Dan has posted. I dont know how this poor thing came in, the screens are closed, he’s so big he scared the cats flittering and skittering himself all around and landed in a water filled soup pot that was soaking in sink. He’s deceased, but should I let anyone ‘official’ know? I never saw anything like this…in NY
Comment by Rachelle — August 30, 2009 [AT] 7:31 pm
Hello Jeff. The species of cicada is called Tibicen pruinosa. Here is a link to show what it looks like: http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/cicadas/popup_tibiprui.html
You are in a flat area that gets lots of sun and cicada killers will frequently make large mounds of dirt. See if you see the large female wasp entering and leaving the burrow. Sometimes she will bring paralyzed cicadas right in. This is the most comprehensive site on cicada killers I know of: http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/cicadakillerhome.html
Other wasps also make burrows, but cicada killers make the largest.
Nice video — tell us what you find!
Comment by Elias — August 30, 2009 [AT] 5:47 am
are these cicada mounds I dont know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbHL-POMTc0
Comment by jeff edwards — August 29, 2009 [AT] 8:24 pm
Jay,
All the males (the ones that sing) are competing for mates, so if one starts to sing the others don’t want to be left out, so they all start to sing.
Comment by Dan — August 28, 2009 [AT] 5:21 am
g’day fellow cicada people. I know sfa about cicadas — I just love em. Here’s a stupid question — how is it that dozens or hundreds begin and end their ‘singing’ at the same time?
let me know if the answer is already here somewhere. thanx, Jay
Comment by Jay — August 28, 2009 [AT] 4:50 am
Wow — this is still technically winter for Australia. That is awesome. Here in NY we have to wait at least 3 months after the end of winter. Hope this is a good season for “down under”.
Comment by Elias — August 21, 2009 [AT] 3:25 pm
Hi All, After quite a warm winter, I am pleased to report the first song of a Cicadetta celis (“silver princess”) in the melaleucas around Sydney- roll on the southern hemisphere cicada season.
David.
Comment by David Emery — August 20, 2009 [AT] 9:51 pm
Does anyone in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut have any experience with hearing or finding Tibicen auletes? Here is a picture and call of this species for reference: http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/cicadas/popup_tibiaule.html
Comment by Elias — August 19, 2009 [AT] 5:27 pm
The observation of the loudness of cicadas with regard to temeprature has been studied. “Body Temeprature and the Acoustic Behavior of the Cicada Tibicen Winemanna” by Allen Sanboern published in the Journal of Insect Behavior
Comment by Elias — July 21, 2009 [AT] 10:14 am
Why do cicadas sound louder when its hot?
Comment by raevans — July 15, 2009 [AT] 11:45 am
to CeeCee, Cicada songsa mean “summer” down under!
Comment by David E — July 11, 2009 [AT] 4:16 am
old wives tale says noise of cicadas signify something. Fogs, rain etc. what is it?
Comment by CeeCee — July 8, 2009 [AT] 9:27 am
Hello Dan,
Heard back from Max Moulds who was kind enough to reply to my email. The good news is a second edition of Australain Cicadas will be produced which will have a considerably expanded introductory chapter and an additional 100 species.
The bad news is we will have to wait at least 5 years!!
So here is our answer. Like anything with cicadas, we need patience. At least it’s not 17 years!!
Comment by Elias — July 5, 2009 [AT] 5:54 am
Hi Dan, Max Moulds now lives in Kurandah near Cairns- he will be publishing a monograph on revised taxonomy of Australian Cicadettini soon, but don’t expect another edition of the book in the near future.
to Saeed; join the Yahoo Entomology-Cicadidae chat group and ask Fariba- she is a cicadaphile from Iran and works at the museum on plant pathogens
Comment by David E — July 5, 2009 [AT] 4:54 am
I am a Ph.D Student of Agricultural Entomology in University of Tehran, IRAN. I have caught some cicadas and cooked them by use of water-salt solution. Its taste is good, but i like to learn more recipes. Is there any person to help me?
Comment by Saeed Heidari — July 4, 2009 [AT] 8:53 am
Hello Dan,
The given email stated Dr. Moulds is no longer at that address. It then gives you another address to write too. I have asked our question and will patiently await a reply. I will keep you posted.
Take care,
Elias
Comment by Elias — July 2, 2009 [AT] 7:04 pm
Elias,
Let me know what you find out about the book.
Dan
Comment by Dan — June 30, 2009 [AT] 9:07 pm
Hello Dan,
Thank you very much! i have sent an email to Dr Moulds and I will keep you apprised as to its outcome.
Just got back from Las Vegas where I caught two Diceroprocta specimens just a block from the Las Vegas strip! They are currently alive in my little butterfly pavillion. I will see if they can call today.
Have a good day,
Elias
Comment by Elias — June 30, 2009 [AT] 8:01 am
Elias, have your tried contacting Max?
http://australianmuseum.net.au/staff/max-moulds/
Comment by Dan — June 24, 2009 [AT] 9:08 pm
Does anyone know if Max Moulds will write an updated edition? I have that book and it is excellent.
Comment by Elias — June 23, 2009 [AT] 3:09 pm
Hi Denis (April 6)- I think that Germany may be too far north for many cicadas. Try south of the Alps.
To Sonja (April 29)- Yeah, I live on the south coast in Oz and remember the seasons: especially the sand fairies (Cicadetta arenaria)landing on your towel at the beach. One year around 1968 there was a massive emergence of “double drummers’ (Thopha saccata) in the bush and a fierce northerly wind blew all day and blew them out to sea where thousands drowned. The following southerly change blew them back to shore and left a high tide line of cicadas about 20 per metre along the entire length of 7 mile beach!! That memory really sticks! Actually, I didn’t appreciate how many species of cicadas were in Australia until Max Moulds book came out in 1990- seems there’s 500+ species!
Comment by David E — June 15, 2009 [AT] 4:54 am
Reporting from Alto, New Mexico where my juniper and pinon are full of cicadas!! Carcasses all over my backyard. I’ve lived here three years- this is a first out here for me. I remember them growing up in Michigan.
Comment by M. Deward — May 31, 2009 [AT] 12:10 pm
Does anyone remember what it was like in the Sixties in Australia (East Coast), collecting and swapping cicadas, especially the “Black Prince”? Thank you. (c:
Comment by Sonja — April 29, 2009 [AT] 7:14 pm
Brood x 2004 is still affecting my trees. the “bug experts”
who come out of the woodwork for each cicada emergence will have to prove to me that splitting virtually every leaf bearing branch on a tree 5-20 inches will result in minimal damage to a mature tree
Comment by brian — April 22, 2009 [AT] 11:28 am
Mayme, try ebay or Craigs List. I see wings show up on ebay all the time.
Comment by Dan — April 20, 2009 [AT] 4:08 pm
Hi, I am looking for a source for cicada wings (only after they have lost their life) I am an artist and I need large quantities for a project I am working on and most specimens are too expensive. I have no problem with removing the wings myself.
Comment by Mayme Kratz — April 20, 2009 [AT] 12:14 pm
April 18, 2009 Hello, I live in Lansing Michigan. Those noisy critters are here in the park next to my house! Dang things woke me up from a peaceful sleep at 10:30 this evening. I wasn’t expecting them this year, what the heck is going on????????????
Comment by Lisa Morse — April 18, 2009 [AT] 8:04 pm
Kate — fantastic tattoo — as Flickr allows me too, I’m going to blog about it on the homepage as well.
Comment by Dan — April 11, 2009 [AT] 7:48 am
Hi All, I found this website looking for pictures of cicadas to get a tattoo. My grandfather and I used to search for them in the backyard at his old house and get so excited to find the “shells” on the old red maple tree. I got a fantastic tattoo of one but have no idea how to load it to share with you all. Can someone help me? Thanks!
Comment by Kate — April 11, 2009 [AT] 5:53 am
Thanks! then looks like i’ve to find them here in germany. Does anyone knows where i might be able to find cicada in germany and when are they out?
Comment by Denis — April 6, 2009 [AT] 11:31 pm
Hi Denis, Live cicadas are out around the Equatorial countires at present (SE Asia and Central America). Live cicadas won’t survive postage!!
Comment by David E — April 6, 2009 [AT] 8:07 pm
Heloo!
I was wondering if anyone in any part of the world has seen now in this time cicadas? I’m actually looking for alive cicada, which i would like to use for a project of mine before letting it go free.
Would anyone help me in finding on and send it to me in germany?
Best regards
Comment by Denis — April 6, 2009 [AT] 3:43 am
In response to the person who wants recipes: Try putting in a few terms at Amazon. Also, on this website there are some links with recipes, though I don’t know if there is anything before 1994. I was looking for this info to, and what’s here plus a few books on Amazon were all I found.
I’m working on a children’s novel(and I plan to make a curriculum to go along with it) that has a lot to do with cicadas. I need some information, if anyone can help me.
First, I want the setting to be where there are many different emergences, and I believe that this would be southern Illinois, but from my maps, can’t tell exactly. Are there any exact maps anywhere?
Second, at what time of year do cicadas emerge? I’ve heard early spring, but I’ve also hear in June. I suppose this has to do with how far north the emergence is taking place, but does anyone know this info exactly?
Third, If cicadas emerge in an area where there has been no spraying, are they safe to eat for animals? I would assume so, especially if they are caught and prepared before their exoskeletons harden. Have there been any reports from farmers about their livestock being adversly affected? (reports from those who farm organically would be especially interesting, as they wouldn’t have the ordinary pesticides.)
Thank you!
Comment by Jennifer Stasinopoulos — March 25, 2009 [AT] 8:07 am
Hellow, I am looking for cicada’s formal recipes. Does anybody knows any books published in U.S.A. before 1994 that has Cicada’s cooking recipe?
Comment by Kuo Liao — March 13, 2009 [AT] 5:19 pm
I just saw a really cute demonstration on a David Attenborough show about Life in the Undergrowth. Mr. A. showed that male periodical cicadas would respond to finger-snaps just as they would to the wing-clicks of a female. He led it about on a branch just by snapping his fingers. I wish I’d known this when the cicadas visited my park in 2004 — it would have been a cute trick to show the kids. You ought to put this on your website — it would fascinate kids — and that’s the first step in getting them interested in something! It’s a shame I’ll have to wait till 2021 to try this — (actually, I could travel to the next emergence area and try it, of course.)
Sarah Dalton
Senior Naturalist
Blendon Woods Metro Park
Comment by Sarah Dalton — March 12, 2009 [AT] 7:33 pm
Hello, I am from Singapore in South East Asia. We don’t have much cicadas in Singapore but I was in Brunei once and saw many cicadas for the first time. One day a local showed me a rare cicada that he caught. It had a distinct beautiful coloration. I believe it had a dark “metallic” blue body with a yellow band under its head with I believe red coloured wings. The local told me it was a “queen” cicada. I’ve tried to search for pictures of this and the only one I could find is on this website which has expired. But google still kept the picture. The link is
http://images.google.com.sg/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cicado.com/Cicada.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cicado.com/old-cicado.html&usg=__BUTPWa-_R-9IX2hWiR-1QKKh7KY=&h=575&w=380&sz=85&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=-F-8G-_JBq2sIM:&tbnh=134&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsite:www.cicado.com%2Bcicada%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26um%3D1
Sorry it’s so long, but that’s the only one I could find. Could anybody tell me is this really a “queen” cicada? Or is it a subspecies? Thank you very much!
I live beside a creek in Stroud area NSW.
Cicadas have been sparse here 2007, 2008 but are deafening again this year … outside work without earplugs is painful due to “song” rain, drizzle or sunny. Loudest with early dawn 1/2 hour crescendo chorus that subsides briefly (approx hour) to begin again unbroken till dusk.
Any idea when they will subside (till next season)?
They began singing in earnest this year approx mid November.
They are great bait for creek Perch but I’m “over” their song.
Comment by helen Gillard — December 30, 2009 [AT] 5:41 pm
Dante- Black princes do have some red “stripes” on them- the colour fades a bit as they age. di you put it on your curtain for a bit?
David.
Comment by David E — December 16, 2009 [AT] 4:49 pm
Hi well i found a black prince cicada that just came out of its shell an hour ago and its just found its colour black but do the red stripes on it mean anything?
Comment by Dante — December 16, 2009 [AT] 2:01 pm
Hello Sam.
I will particpate in your cricket survey. Have some species in my yard and also in nearby parks. I wonder if we can organize this for cicadas. It would be very helpful! In NYC I have documented Tibicen chlormera, Tibicen lyricen and Tibicen linnei. Tibicen auletes reportedly lived in Staten Island as per William T. Davis. Tibicen cannicularis once lived here but since the pines are gone, I don’t think they are around anymore. We can really hone in on ranges of Tibicen cicadas in NY.
Comment by Elias — September 1, 2009 [AT] 3:02 pm
People interested in Cicadas might be interested in applying what we are doing with crickets and katydids to cicada surveys.
http://www.discoverlife.org/cricket
Thanks
sam
Comment by Sam Droege — August 31, 2009 [AT] 7:21 am
I live in
Somerville, Massachusetts
behind an/the historic revolutionary war fort/castle
Prospect Hill
There are Alot of Cicadas here!
Blue, Grey Flannel
& individually are Very loud..shreiking
individusal ones I find alive stuck to my garage & in my driveway
the canopy of trees is so loud sometimes too usually in the pm
Comment by Nancy — August 28, 2009 [AT] 9:54 pm
That is a strange scenario Rosalind. An additional hypothesis to explain this situation is that the cicada that landed on him may have done so by chance. It was likely very hungry and mistook your son for a branch on a tree. They will try to stick their beak into what they think is a branch and that can potentially hurt. It is non intentional.
Comment by Elias — August 28, 2009 [AT] 9:22 pm
Hi — if the cicada in the bag was the one making the sound, the other cicada was probably a female wishing to mate with it.
Comment by Dan — August 27, 2009 [AT] 12:53 pm
I don’t know anything about cicadas! Here is the story: My 8th grader gets extra credit in science for bringing in interesting bugs. I found (what I now know was a cicada) on my porch on it’s back….Dead. Or at least I thought so. I put it in a baggie and left it on the counter overnight. This morning when I handed the baggie to my son, the baggie MOVED and made the LOUDEST sound! Scared me to death. So, cicada in the baggie — not so dead. My son took the baggie with his in his hand to the bus stop. Now, here is where it gets interesting. A cicada flies out of nowhere and lands on my son’s shoulder — and then “sticks” him right after the baggie cicada makes the loud sound again! I can see the mark it left through his t-shirt! Was the other cicada trying to save the baggie cicada???
Comment by Rosalind — August 27, 2009 [AT] 12:15 pm
Met up with Cathy who lives in Coram, New York yesterday. Met her last year during the Brood XIV emergence. Not sure if Tibicen auletes lives in her neighborhood. She may have heard one last year. Additionally may have T. lyricen and T. canicularis too. I think she is catching CICADAMANIA!! Welcome aboard Cathy!
Comment by Elias — August 23, 2009 [AT] 8:52 pm
T. chloromera and T. linnei with a few T. lyricen calling loudly in NY at this time. Excellent year for T. chloromera. Found 7 T. auletes nymphal shells in New Jersey. No luck getting a specimen yet. Glad the message board is back on!!
Comment by Elias — August 18, 2009 [AT] 8:11 am
Heard a very light Tibicen chloromera chorus today in Queens New York. Been waiting a long time!!!
Comment by Elias — July 19, 2009 [AT] 7:25 am
Today is July 13. First Tibicen cicada of the season found. Tibicen chloromera female. 10 dyas behind schedule here in NY!
Comment by Elias — July 13, 2009 [AT] 8:35 pm
Today is July 3rd. The first Tibicen lyricen was heard calling high up in Alley Pond Park (New York). Cicada season has officially started in the North!
Comment by Elias — July 3, 2009 [AT] 10:06 pm
Thanks Elias
Comment by Drachenfanger — July 2, 2009 [AT] 3:34 am
Guten tag Drachenfanger! Glad you are enjoying our cicadas. A very useful website is “Songs of Insects”. Go to the lower right and click on the cicadas’ species and you will see a large picture with a recording of the call. It is very helpful to figure out which member of the choruis is singing. I visited Deutschland in 1988 and when I was in Bavaria, I believe I did hear a cicada call. they were definitely not as common or as load as here in the US. So I was an Auslaender back then too LOL! Enjoy your stay here in the States.
Comment by Elias — July 1, 2009 [AT] 8:49 pm
Thanks for determining the Type. Today is the loudest day but I assume it is not the peak of loudness. Anyway cool experience for an Auslaender as I am.
Comment by Drachenfanger — July 1, 2009 [AT] 5:56 pm
I agree! The pictures are nice. It has a black pronotal color. I think this is a female Tibicen lyricen. Very nice. Still waiting for Tibicens to come up in New York. It has been extremely rainy here in the North East!
Comment by Elias — July 1, 2009 [AT] 4:36 am
Cool Tibicen photos Drachenfanger.
Comment by Dan — June 30, 2009 [AT] 8:41 pm
Found several cicadas in Virginia Beach two weeks ago. Exciting.
Here some picture I have taken: http://agiesea.blogspot.com/2009/06/was-ist-das-fur-ein-insekt.html
Comment by Drachenfanger — June 30, 2009 [AT] 6:00 pm
I wonder what cadas eat other than tree sap? I AM 12 HAHAHAH
Comment by erica — June 30, 2009 [AT] 9:34 am
I found a cicada in sundre AB. only cicada I’ve evr seen its really weak
Comment by eriaca — June 30, 2009 [AT] 9:25 am
There are many cicadas around Carrollton TX and very many shells
Approxiamatly 50 in my yard.
Comment by Davis B — June 22, 2009 [AT] 2:12 pm
Where was this Hemda?
Comment by Elias — May 30, 2009 [AT] 7:34 pm
this morning I found many cicadas (about 30) stuck to my brick front around the garage. Some wings on the driveway. None were flying at that time and some looked like they were molting.
Comment by Hemda G — May 15, 2009 [AT] 9:42 am
We’ve had at least 60 cicadas on our grass and all over our cars in our driveway the past two days. Many in various stages. What’s weird is that I don’t see any on our neighbor’s property. We do have a very large tree in our front yard. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it. We live in Springfield, VA (Northern VA).
Comment by Liz Merck — May 15, 2009 [AT] 7:00 am
We have seen cicada’s at our home in Fredericksburg Virginia.
Comment by Judy Johnson — May 10, 2009 [AT] 3:18 am
This isn’t really much of a sighting as much as it’s a picture of my arm with a cicada tattoo. I originally foung my idea for this on your site while looking through all of the different pictures.
Mary — those are Tibicen cicadas, and they’ll be around for the rest of the summer.
Comment by Dan — August 20, 2009 [AT] 9:00 pm
Yes. Buy The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Hershberger. It has many songs of North American cicadas.
Comment by Dan — August 20, 2009 [AT] 11:55 am
Hi,
does anyone know of commercially available cicada song/call recordings?
I live in Philly Pa. &
we have annual cicadas.
Don’t know the specie
but it produces a metallic/castenet type of sound.I think it’s really cool.
Comment by Bob — August 20, 2009 [AT] 11:42 am
I have seen these in Northern VA/DC area the last two weeks….primarily at my front and back door lights in the evenings. I can hear the trees full of them, which compeltely freaks me out now that I know what they look like.
How long can I expect them to be hanging around town?
Comment by Mary — August 18, 2009 [AT] 5:42 pm
Hello Chris. The Periodical cicadas have come and gone (a small emergence was noted in New Jersey). I live in New York and heard an annual cicada call 2 days ago. They usually take another week or two before they begin a noticeable chorus. Lets keep our fingers crossed and keep listening.
Comment by Elias — July 5, 2009 [AT] 5:32 am
i have a question for the experts im in nj and have not heard cicadas yet and its early july are they going to come in late or not come due to the cold spring?
Comment by chris egan — July 4, 2009 [AT] 11:11 pm
I have more than a dozen holes in my garden and have seen about eight left shells on the house, tree or swing. I have seen this Cicada (see website: http://agiesea.blogspot.com/2009/06/was-ist-das-fur-ein-insekt.html) about two weeks ago and now the neighbor hood is full of the singing. Not all time but loud. What brood is it and what type of Cicada is it. I come originally from Germany and never heard about Cicadas. My position is Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Comment by Drachenfanger — June 30, 2009 [AT] 5:51 pm
Magicicada (the red eyed periodical cicada) ususally are done by the beginning of July in most northern areas. The latest I caught one here was July 2nd in Brookhaven, Long Island. This was last year during the very end of Brood XIV.
Comment by Elias — June 30, 2009 [AT] 7:55 am
How long do they keep up their racket?
Comment by Pam — June 24, 2009 [AT] 12:21 am
Day 20 for my Magicicada and she is no more. Almost 3 weeks, the longest I ever kept one in captivity. Hopefully there are some stragglers still left out there although the cool and rainy weather is not helping at all!
Comment by Elias — June 20, 2009 [AT] 7:18 am
Day 16 for the female from Staten Island. She is still going strong. This is the longest I have ever kept a cicada alive in captivity. Has anyone else seen any Magicicada? May make a trip to Brookhaven soon to see if there was any activity from Brood XIV. Last trip to Fanwood and S.I. revealed no cicadas.
Comment by Elias — June 15, 2009 [AT] 7:20 pm
Day 14 for the Magicicada septendecim female that was captured in Staten Island. A few days ago she oviposited. Not clear if she was able to mate with one of the New Jersey males as she was fairly young while they were in their prime. She looks strong so far. Hopefully she will get the record for longevity!!
Comment by Elias — June 13, 2009 [AT] 6:00 pm
The search yesterday in Staten Island did not turn up any specimens. Saw many beautiful parks: Blue Heron Nature preserve, Clay Pits Pond Park, Wolfe’s Pond Park, and Conference House Park. Found a shell at Clay Pits Park and was told by a park ranger they came up about a week ago. No calling heard. Returned to Fanwood NJ too since I was by the Outerbridge Crossing. Saw lots of shells but they were probably left over from the previous 2 weeks. No calling and no specimens. Has anyone else seen any Magicicada? Seems like the accelerated emergence is all over.
Day 14 in the mini colony. The only one left alive from the original Fanwood Brood is the Massospora stricken cicada. Half the cicada’s body is gone yet she is still alive! This insect never ceases to amaze me!!
Comment by Elias — June 7, 2009 [AT] 6:09 am
Day 12 in the mini colony. Lost the first male yesterday. the second male appears to be tiring. did not hear him call this AM. 3 females still alive, one is the recent Staten Island specimen.
Staten Island news is picking up on the early cicadas and published an article here.http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/124411770745200.xml&coll=1
Will probably search again over the weekend.
Comment by Elias — June 5, 2009 [AT] 4:05 am
Day 9 in the captive colony. The two males are calling like crazy and the one infected with Massospora is still flicking her wings to keep them going. The female that mated last time has begun to lay eggs in the branches I have in there. I have seen all aspects of their life style. What a cool present nature gave me.
Hope some others are finding stragglers. There are a lot of people in Brood II and Brood XIV land!
Comment by Elias — June 2, 2009 [AT] 7:36 pm
Took a trip to Staten island today. Found 2 cicada burrows in Blue Heron Nature Preserve but no skins/adults. Then went to Wolfe’s Pond Park and found some cast off shells on Sycamore trees only. Then after a long day and a good stroke of luck, 1 nymph came up at 8:30PM on a sycamore tree. He is molting right now and so far the process is going well. Learned a technique from Gerry Bunker and that is to transport nymphs horizontally in a plastic container to prevent them from molting which leads to certain deformity. Day 7 for the rest of the colony. The two males are still calling and one pair mated already.
Comment by Elias — May 31, 2009 [AT] 8:55 pm
Update on my mini colony that is being kept alive in a Butterfly pavilion. One young male started to sing today. The amplitude is very low. Also a female in the cage responded with wing flick signalling. Brought home 8 from New jersey, 6 still alive. Today is Day #4. Next couple of days may need to look in Staten island or back to Fanwood. Anyone have any other reports? I know the weather is terrible. We need some sunshine!!
Comment by Elias — May 28, 2009 [AT] 8:17 pm
Thanks to Charlene’s post I went to Fanwood. found 7 tenerals and captured one nymph which will eclose here in the comfort of my home. Heard some light M. septendecim choruses. did not see any M. cassini or M. septendecula. Some trees where covered with at least 100 exuvia. Some had none. The question is have we seen the maximum yet or is it just starting? Please keep an eye out for further emergence sites here in the North East.
Comment by Elias — May 25, 2009 [AT] 1:10 pm
Can anyone tell me places where cicadas are being seen in New jersey or New York. I will travel to document this interesting accelerated emergence. Parks where they have been observed or street intersections would be of greatest value. Thank you!
Comment by Elias — May 24, 2009 [AT] 7:51 am
Charlene, yes, they’re stragglers even though there are so many. They’re stragglers by virtue of the fact that they’re arriving 4 years early.
Comment by Dan — May 22, 2009 [AT] 7:02 pm
Our NJ town (30 miles west of Manhattan) is covered in Magicicadas. Can they be straggers when the entire town is covered in them? Here are some photos I took today:
Saw a whole lot of cicadas around Cedar Ridge Drive, in (Spotsylvania County) Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Comment by Selena Barefoot — May 18, 2009 [AT] 5:38 pm
We had one of these at our back porch light last night in Carroll County, Virginia. I thought it was some sort of very large bee (looked to be about the size of a humming bird!) but decided to do some research today after work and there it is! I see there have been a number of other sightings in Virginia recently.
