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June 27, 2015

Is there such thing as an albino cicada?

Filed under: Anatomy | FAQs — Dan @ 11:55 am

No. When many types of cicadas first emerge from their nymphal skin they are white in color. Gradually, their bodies become a darker color. Some take longer than others to change. Some die before the change can occur, and their corpses remain white.

This is a photo of a teneral (soft) Magicicada:

Brood X Magicicada photos by Nate Rhodes from 2004.
Its skin will eventually turn black and orange.

The are some cicadas, like the Tibicen pruinosus fulvus Beamer, 1924, that retain their lighter, teneral colors, but they are not albinos. Note: fulvus means yellow.

2 Comments

  1. Laura says:

    Found an emerging cicada in my yard today and it is white and yellowish. This information was very helpful.

    1. Dan says:

      They start out white/yellow, but then turn black as their skin hardens. If they die while their skin is still white/yellow, it will stay white/yellow.

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