Comments on: Magicicada sightings for 2008

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:42:52 +0000

I am fairly new to N.E. Texas (Jacksonville–Cherokee County). I went out by the swimming pool and cold drink machine at 1:30am on July 23rd, and I heard a LOUD EERIEE sound. Something landed on my shirt, and SCREAMED like a siren. My wife said when I came in, that it was a Cecada….All I know is that it really startled me. It was still on my shirt. I’m a big guy, but i thought it was from outerspace….ha ha. I live on E. Loop 456 on East side of Jacksonville…about 2 miles from center of town.

By: Laura Tutino

Laura Tutino — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:08:41 +0000

Our part of Cape Cod (East Falmouth) also looks a bit like an early Autumn from the aftermath of the cicadas. See this article in the Cape Cod Times http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/NEWS/807220318

By: Elias

Elias — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:14:39 +0000

Hello Dan,

I just visited Dix Hills this weekend to see if I could locate some first instar nymphs. THe emergence here was nearly over after fathers day because the predation from birds was so severe. Some oviposiitng did occur into scrub oaks and small aspen trees and I will be watching these closely. I will search again this weekend.

As far as flagging, I looked for it in Brookhaven. It was impressive here. Looked like an early Autumn. May look for first instars here as it was one of the best emergences on Long Island. Wish I knew about this site earlier and have to thank John Cooley for the tip. According to a Chris Simon paper, Brood I, II, VI, X and XIV can be found in Brookhaven!

Further infromation to follow.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:36:44 +0000

“Folks — any new cicadas you find at this point aren’t Magicicada, they’re other species like Tibicen. If you want an id, email us a photo.”

While I have Tibicen in my area, there are still straggler Magicicada’s here. The song is definitely different and they look exactly like what I saw a month ago. So I suspect that some of these do not get the “general” alarm right and come out later. There is not a lot of them, but I do hear th occasional song.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:45:39 +0000

Elias: how was the flagging in L.I. — not too bad, right? Have you observed any hatchlings yet?

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:44:42 +0000

Folks — any new cicadas you find at this point aren’t Magicicada, they’re other species like Tibicen. If you want an id, email us a photo.

By: Kirk G

Kirk G — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:28:50 +0000

OH yes,
I’ve been surprised at the number of broken twigs we have hanging from our lilac bushes and other trees in the area, and I thought I had pruned them all off… and now I realize that it is flagging as the cicada must have been digging/slitting them and doing their thing! Arrrgghhh! I wish the singing would stop. I haven’t heard this since 1999 and the bad Brood outbreak! (and in mid-Michigan in the summer of 1972 before that! Was gone in Utah during the 1988-89 emergence and missed it all with the drought and browning grass!)

By: Kirk G

Kirk G — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:14:27 +0000

The chorus of songs have picked up each evening at sunset in the Athens, Ohio area. I had almost overlooked them, as I worked on the patio this weekend. But then I paused in the high heat as it became more humid, and realized that I was hearing not just one song, but several in the trees that border my house.

Didn’t think we would get any this year!!!

By: Kelly O

Kelly O — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:43:11 +0000

My son found a cicada tonight in the backyard today July 21,2008. in Cleveland Ohio eastern suburb

By: Bob Jacobson

Bob Jacobson — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:42:46 +0000

Elias–I’ve done this with other groups of insects, particularly wasps and hornets, in the past. I’ve had cicadas in the past (M. cassini from Ohio Brood X, T. aurifera from Kansas and D. apache from Las Vegas), but I’ve generally kept them on branches inside cage at room temperature so they would sing. This year is the first time I’ve tried keeping periodical cicadas refrigerated. Because I’m away almost every weekend in addition to other travel, this substantially reduces the “babysitting” required! Therefore, it is partly an adaptation of what I have been doing with other insects as well as a certain amount of luck I suppose!

The last female M. septendecim died over the weekend, so now there are 3 male M. septendecim and a male and female of M. cassini.

Bob