Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus, 1758) aka Linnaeus’s 17-Year Cicada aka Decim Periodical Cicada aka Pharaoh Cicada.
Photo credit: by Dan Mozgai. Brood II, NJ.
Photo credit: by Dan Mozgai. Brood II, NJ.
All Magicicada septendecim information and images on cicadamania.com.
Song type: Distress
Source: ©Cicada Mania | Species: M. septendecim
Song type: Court II
Source: ©Cicada Mania | Species: M. septendecim
Song type: Call
Source: ©Cicada Mania | Species: M. septendecim
Song type: Court III
Source: ©Cicada Mania | Species: M. septendecim
Song type: Court I
Source: ©Cicada Mania | Species: M. septendecim
Video
Video Playlist
Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.
Identification Tips
M. septendecim is the largest of the 17-Year species. Its abdomen has thick orange stripes. It has orange coloring between its eye and wing. Its song sounds like “Wee-Oh”, “Pharaoh” and a group of them are said to sound like a “UFO from a science fiction movie”.
Color between the eye and wing insertion:
M. septendecim Brood Chart
Magicicada septendecim has a 17-year lifecycle.
| Brood | Years | States |
|---|---|---|
| I (1) | 1961, 1978, 1995, 2012, 2029 | TN, VA, WVA |
| II (2) | 1962, 1979, 1996, 2013, 2030 | CT, GA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OK, PA, VA |
| III (3) | 1963, 1980, 1997, 2014, 2031 | IA, IL, MO |
| IV (4) | 1964, 1981, 1998, 2015, 2032 | IA, KS, MO, NE, OK, TX |
| V (5) | 1965, 1982, 1999, 2016, 2033 | LI NY, western MD, east OH, south-west PA, north-west VA, northern half of WV |
| VI (6) | 1949, 1966, 1983, 2000, 2017 | GA, NC, SC, WI, OH |
| VII (7) | 1950, 1967, 1984, 2001, 2018 | NY |
| VIII (8) | 1951, 1968, 1985, 2002, 2019 | OH, PA, WVA and OK |
| IX (9) | 1952, 1969, 1986, 2003, 2020 | NC, VA, WVA |
| X (10) | 1953, 1970, 1987, 2004, 2021 | DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WVA, Washington DC |
| XIII (13) | 1956, 1973, 1990, 2007, 2024 | IA, IL, IN, MI, WI |
| XIV (14) | 1957, 1974, 1991, 2008, 2025 | GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WVA |
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Short Name: M. septendecim
- Common Name: Decim Periodical Cicada or Linnaeus’s 17-Year Cicada or 17-Year Cicada
- When: May-June. Peak in June. Every 17 years.
- Where it is found: CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI, WV
- Maps: Map
- Description: Black body with orange wings and legs. Orange stripes on abdomen. Orange between eye and wing.
- Eye Color: reddish orange
- Pronotal Collar Color: black
- Identification: Bug Guide
- Identification: Bill Reynolds on iNaturalist
- Subject Matter Expert website: Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org)
- Image: Insect Images
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Song: Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org)
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Lamotialnini
Subtribe: Tryellina
Genus: Magicicada
Species: Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus, 1758)
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org)
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
- Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
