What species is this?
Date: Friday, Aug/31/2001
On a walk, my father found a cicada. I was wondering if anybody could help identify it . . . about 3cm, and has green and black camolflaged(spelling?) body. The under side is white with a black stripe going down the centre. If their is anyone who could help please write me . . .leigh [AT] lipschitz.comThanx.-Leigh — Leigh, Webster, New York
Eyeglasses or Sunglass bag
Date: Tuesday, Aug/28/2001
I never heard of the cicada insect until my Mother recently sent me a sunglass/eyeglass holder she made that looks like the cicada. I thought I would look it up on the internet to see what is was all about and was surprised to see the interest. The bag is made out of beautiful material. When you pull the string to close the bag, the wings spread out. Very cool. If any body is interested in purchasing a bag, please let me know. We didn’t plan on selling them, but if there is a market and somebody would like one, why not? Of course, I haven’t told her yet. You can email me at jjmcnally [AT] earthlink.com.Thanks.Jan — Jan , Portland, Oregon
cicada identification
Date: Tuesday, Aug/28/2001
thanx for the identity tip, i think i’ve been hearing tibicen canicularis. although the cicadas of michigan page’s example is a bit different sounding (higher pitched) the song is the same. while this cicada seems to be the predominant one around (year after year), i’ve also heard chlomera and linneia cicada’s intermixed — jason howard, skaneateles ny
CICADAS HERE ARE DAMAGING THE WOOD ON OUR HOUSE
Date: Sunday, Aug/26/2001
THIS YEAR HAS SEEN A FLOOD OF CICADAS IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ARKANSAS. OUR HOUSE WAS PAINTED LAST YEAR IN THE FALL AND WE ARE HAVING TO DO EXTENSIVE TOUCH UPS DUE THEIR EATING OF THE BROWN PAINT AND SOMETIME THE WOOD. SINCE THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON THE HOUSE, I USE WASP SPRAY TO KNOCK THEM DOWN. SINCE JULY, I HAVE KILLED APPPROXIMATELY 40 PER DAY. THEIR DROPPINGS FOUND ON OUR DECK PROVES THEY ARE EATING THE PAINT. — CHARLES, HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, AR
In PA & TX
Date: Friday, Aug/24/2001
I love the cicada sound, it is soothing. All my best TX summer memories include the buzzing song of the green, black eyed cicada. When my dad died last June, the occasional buzz could be heard mixed in with the gravesite eulogy my sister gave. When we came back to PA in July, the cicadas were in full swing here! I could not find them, only their little “shells”. Its close to the end of August and there are less of them, but they sing from mid-morning till about 4pm. I hope they last a while longer. (Thankyou God for Cicadas!)Kathy, Emmaus PA — KF James, Emmaus PA
cicada emergence
Date: Thursday, Aug/23/2001
Our neighborhood is abuzz with the sounds of cicadas. For the last week or so, we have been hearing a loud chorus of them, but have not spotted any thus far. When my children were younger, they would find loads of them attached to tree trunks. — Gina Niedenberger, Yorktown,VA
holes in yard
Date: Wednesday, Aug/22/2001
hello, can you put some pictures of the burrows on the page? i found a bunch of large burrows in my yard under the trees. they are from 1/2 in. to 2 inches big. thanks — tracy quinn, jefferson city,mo. 65109
Responses
Date: Tuesday, Aug/21/2001
Jason the cicadas are done emerging. Military sounds like Tibicen chloromera, but I’m not sure. Shaunta, cicadas don’t bite or sting. Robert, it’s almost impossible to id a cicada without a picture. I suggest checking out the Tibicen section of the Links page and see if you can find a match. — Dan, Cicadaville
Cicada siteing
Date: Saturday, Aug/18/2001
Your website is cool.I found a cicada on the utilty pole. There was nothing but the body shell following molting. I haven’t seen the adult. — Tyra, Decatur,Ga
Too Loud!!
Date: Friday, Aug/17/2001
We seem to have an especially high concentration this summer of Cicadas, and the noise is non-stop (Aug 14 – and on). Maybe because I have acute hearing, but I’d LOVE to find a way to discourage them from my property…it’s driving me CRAZY! As I know this is impossible (they are EVERYWHERE) I’m just putting in my two cents of complaint. (sorry in advance to you Cicada Lovin’ crowd…) — Meg G, Minneapolis, MN
Tibicen sp. emerging
Date: Tuesday, Aug/14/2001
I woke up this morning to find several Tibicen sp. on my porch, my question is what species are they, can piont me in the direction of an answer. email me at robert.calhoun [AT] murraystate.edu — Robert, Murray, KY
Sci-Fi Bugs!
Date: Monday, Aug/13/2001
Yep, we have them here in Ohio. While I don’t mind the summer concert they give outside my apartment window, they are the spookiest looking things on the planet! One flew on the outside (thank God) of my screen, and my cat stalked it and it flew away. She got a treat for that. Do they bite? The site of them scares me. If one ever flew inside my apartment I’d freak out! — Shaunta, Cleveland Ohio USA
emergence question
Date: Sunday, Aug/12/2001
if cicadas emerge “en masse” and i can hear them singing now, are they still in the process of emerging? or are they all done? also, what species of cicada do we have here? they are the green variety that look as though they are wearing military fatigues. the wings are more of a blueish green. thanks:) — rjasonhoward [AT] hotmail.com, skaneateles NY (syracuse area)
My first cicada sighting
Date: Saturday, Aug/11/2001
Found one of these gross insects on my back door last night. Killed it, found it on my lawn. What an ugly sight. I placed in baggie until I found out what kind of insect it is. I’ve heard of them, but have never seen one until last night. — Lois, Western New York , suburb of Buffalo
Cicadas’ effect on Japanese Maples
Date: Friday, Aug/10/2001
I’ve recently noticed numerous cicadas emerging from the ground and attaching themselves to a large Japanese Maple in my front yard. Need I worry about any damage to the roots or tree itself?Also, despite living on Long Island for about 20 years this is the first time I recall having seen a cicada — the ones I’ve seen have black bodies and eyes and clear wings with a light green color at the edges. I’m assuming this is normal for the northeast. — Stewart M., Montclair, NJ
Response for Lisa
Date: Thursday, Aug/9/2001
I too live in Jersey and I have a 40 foot pine in my backyard that was besieged my cicadas 5 years ago with absolutely no harm done. They might flag a branch or too, but they won’t harm the tree. Enjoy your lemonade. — Dan, Cicada Mania Headquarters
The effect of cidadas on coniferous trees
Date: Wednesday, Aug/8/2001
I’d be grateful for information about the effect of cicadas on coniferous trees. I’ve read that they do not harm the deciduous trees that are their primary residence. But, I’ve got a tall, old conifer in my back yard and I’m worried that cicadas are completely overrunning this tree and killing it–even though this tree must have experienced it’s share of cicadas over the decades. There are scores of small holes in the earth under the tree, and the ground itself feels hollow beneath the tree and its trunk and limbs are oozing rather significantly. Should I just drink some lemonade and enjoy the weather? Thank you! — Lisa, Hopewell (Mercer County), NJ
hearings of cicada’s on august 7, 2001
Date: Tuesday, Aug/7/2001
is it possible this is a late hatching of the cicada here in ulster county from the night before, and how is it possible i have only been able to hear 6 different males calling there mate in much different areas of my neighborhood.the hearings were located inkingston, new york, ulster county, west pierpont street — jason, kingston, new york ulster county
Responses
Date: Sunday, Aug/5/2001
Donald, sorry the cicadas are causing you so much strife. Cicadas are prone to parasitic fungus infections due to the fact they spent most of their life in the moist ground, and since fungi love moisture, your cicadas are in trouble. Charlene, cicadas make calls all day long, but because temperature affects their ability to vibrate, they slow down at night and sound more like crickets. — Dan, Cicadaville
Cicada Killer Wasp
Date: Saturday, Aug/4/2001
I heard a wierd sound today and saw the largest Wasp I have ever seen. This was unusual until I saw it dragging a Cicada with it. It would fly for a moment, then it would drag it, and then fly some more. I have never seen anything even close to this Wasp. To be honest it is the first Cicada I have seen in a while. We hear them every year. I got info on the web about the Wasp and it seems they live in the ground and Cicadas are there only food source and egg laying area for there larve.Weird! — Bob, Apopka, FL, USA
Afternoons
Date: Friday, Aug/3/2001
Why do the cicadas only make their calls in the afternoon?? — Charlene, Deerfield,IL
Fungus Among Us
Date: Friday, Aug/3/2001
Thanks for the England info Dan. If the decibels were lower (cricket level) I wouldn’t tear at my hair so, but it’s summer finals at UT and I’m tearing at the hair… so much for the quiet of the country. FYI… It’s been a wet summer in East TN and we are now finding Cicada’s (passed-on)with a powdery white on the underbelly. I believe that would be a fungus. Is that indicative of a particularly wet season? — Donald, Knoxville
Responses to your messages
Date: Friday, Aug/3/2001
Donald, the best way to minimize the occurrence of cicada is to move to England, where there are none. Bob, great pictures! Leona, if the cicada was still white or pale colored when you found it you may have interfered, but if it was a dark color, it was probably suffering from a fungal disease or an attack by a predator — don’t worry about it. Yann, usually cicadas slow down their singing in the evening hours (their singing is relative to temperature) — eventually they stop singing, if it gets cold enough, or they start sounding more like crickets. Bill, I don’t know, but your hunch may be right. VegasChip sell them on Ebay — when life gives you lemons, sell them on Ebay. Tom S, only Magicicadas emerge ever 17 or 13 years, some cicadas, like the one you’ve seen appear every year — it’s probably a Tibicen. Claire, since the days of the Pilgrims people have mistakenly called cicadas locusts, but what you hear each year are cicadas — locusts are grasshoppers, and grasshoppers don’t sing. Chantal, great question, but I don’t know! Try browsing through the International section of the links page. Someone, I expect the drama is over by now, but I’m sure you did the best you could. Laurie, the best way to treat a cicada is to release it as soon as the kids see it — but in the meantime, give it plenty of air and something to climb on. Diane, guess what: there are no 17 year cicadas in Florida — only one Genus of cicada emerges every 17 years, the Magicicada — the kind you see emerge in much smaller intervals — oh, you’re not insane, you’re a Cicada Maniac! Benjamin, you have an annual cicada! Andrea, the lifecycle of the Magicicada is a great mystery, although there are many theories as to why they spend so long underground, mostly it is to avoid predators — they die so quickly because as adults their only ability is to mate, spawn and die. — Dan, Cicada Mania Headquarters
Cicada Arrival
Date: Thursday, Aug/2/2001
The arrival (hatching and molting) of this year’s crop of cicadas is now in full swing. This is the first year I have had the opportunity to observe them as they climb up the trees to molt.They sure don’t ambulate very fast. — 7Alpha, Kansas City, KS
Reward———Specimen’s wanted!!!
Date: Wednesday, Aug/1/2001
Please contact me in regards of sending me Cicada’s. I seek them to collect. Please send in a “priority U.S. mail Video box”wraped in tissue. $3.50 postage. E-mail me for details at zugy.com or cicadakid [AT] hotmail.com — Duane Zugel, San Diego Ca. U.S.A.