Cicada Mania

Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.

September 25, 2006

Magicicada Curveball

Filed under: Brood XXIII | Magicicada — Dan @ 8:17 pm

I bet you thought I was going to post another Tibicen photo! Here’s a Magicicada photo Ryan Anderson took during the 2002 brood XXIII emergence in Kentucky.

Magicicada

Now is a good a time as any to point out the difference between Magicicadas and Tibicens:

Magicicadas:

  • Emerge in en masse in groups called broods
  • There are 15 different broods. Broods emerge every 13 or 17 years depending on the brood. No broods emerged in 2006.
  • Magicicadas have red eyes, black bodies and orange legs and wings
  • Other names for Magicicadas: periodical cicadas, “locusts”, 17-year cicadas, 13-year cicadas

Tibicens:

  • Emerge in limited numbers, and not in broods
  • Emerge every year
  • Tibicens are typically larger than Magicicadas. Tibicens are usually a combination of green, black, or brown.
  • Other names for Tibicens: Harvest Flies, annual cicadas, Dog-Day cicadas

No Comments »

No comments yet.

Leave a comment. Questions about plants or snakes are deleted.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cicada T-shirts