Author: Dan

2010 General Cicada Questions

Post author By Dan
Post date December 31, 2010
No Comments on 2010 General Cicada Questions

These questions come from the old General Cicada Questions message board. The questions and answers are in reverse order. URLs found in comments are old and likely do not work.

eBay.com is a good place to find cicadas.

eBay.com is a good place to find cicadas.

Comment by Dan — December 29, 2010 [AT] 5:27 pm

I am looking to buy about 10 cicadas(dead of corse) for my daughters science project.

I am looking to buy about 10 cicadas(dead of corse) for my daughters science project.

Comment by missy — December 29, 2010 [AT] 4:59 pm

Hi, just found your great website while trying to identify a cicada I photographed recently in Central Queensland

Hi, just found your great website while trying to identify a cicada I photographed recently in Central Queensland. Do you have any idea what this one is? I’ve had a look at the most common ones and quite a few more, but have not identified it as yet.

We’ve recently been inundated with them — a very large bunch have been serenading us (more probably the girl cicadas) from a tree next-door. They’re the loudest I’ve ever heard!

Anyway, here’s a link to my flicker page. I also have a head shot which I can provide if necessary. https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5260144027_b9b73e6d37_b.jpg

Comment by Vicki — December 14, 2010 [AT] 6:15 am

When did you take it?

When did you take it? Sounds like it could be a Magicicada (Periodical Cicada). Please email the picture to Dan, the creator of this awesome website and he can help you further! cicadamania [AT] gmail.com

Comment by Elias — August 1, 2010 [AT] 8:43 pm

I have a wonderful picture of a cicada after it has ‘hatched’.

I have a wonderful picture of a cicada after it has ‘hatched’. It’s white with read eyes still hanging onto the husk of the pulpa. How can I post it here — I have NO idea what kind, etc.
Robin

Comment by Robin — July 29, 2010 [AT] 9:10 pm

I believe the white strands are connected to the spiracles

Hello Suzanne,
I believe the white strands are connected to the spiracles, the cicada’s respiratory system. As far as the gel, there are two possibilities. One is that sometimes during eclosion (coming out of its shell) a cicada urinates. A second possibility is that it was damaged and some hemolymph (cicada blood) leaked out. This usually chabges to a black tarry substance and deforms the wings if it gets on there. The process of changing to an adult is a lot of work so it can definitely appear like a struggle. Lastly, if it came out during the morning, there is a high likely hood that a bird ate it.

Comment by Elias — July 28, 2010 [AT] 3:26 am

I found a cicada on the ground who had fallen from his perch

I found a cicada on the ground who had fallen from his perch. It seems as though his shell dried to much before he could get all the way out. Is there anything I can do to help?

Comment by cammie Wiggins — July 27, 2010 [AT] 5:40 pm

With the explosions of cicada in SE Ohio this week

With the explosions of cicada in SE Ohio this week (temps over 90 and heat index above 100) why do we not see birds with fat full tummies? What are the natural predators of cicada, and when can we expect to see them kick in? Songs are loud and long chorus at dusk around here now, up from just a few alternating songs last weekend at dusk.
Found a dead adult in our driveway today, and an empty nymph shell under a mailbox two days ago. What brood is this, and how can you tell they are periodic and not annual? thanks.

Comment by Kirk G — July 24, 2010 [AT] 6:26 pm

I saw a cicada this morning as it was emerging from it’s shell.

I saw a cicada this morning as it was emerging from it’s shell. I was fascinated. It pulled on it’s “tail” (don’t know the correct terms) and this gel looking stuff came out. Then his wings seemed to get bigger? I watched him for a long time. It seems like he was struggling and kept pulling on a long white appendage coming from his abdomen. Looked like some alien movie to me! Can you tell me what he was doing? I went inside for a while and when I went back outside and looked for him, all I found was his wings! I’m wondering if a bird ate him. Poor little guy. I felt sorry for him.

Comment by Suzanne Prince — July 17, 2010 [AT] 6:57 am

I live in Mississippi and pretty sure there is an Australian Green Grocer Cicada hanging on my front door

I live in Mississippi and pretty sure there is an Australian Green Grocer Circada hanging on my front door. He is unbelievably loud.

Comment by Steve — June 25, 2010 [AT] 10:10 pm

Okanagana cicadas are very interesting.

Okanagana cicadas are very interesting. Here in the North East we have two species, Okanagana rimosa and O. canadensis. This is O. rimosa http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/cicadas/popup_okanrimo.html
This is O. canadensis: http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/cicadas/popup_okancana.html
Thanks to SONGS OF INSECTS for their great website and book. This species is commonly overlooked as they sound like grasshoppers or katydids! Their nymphs have an interesting pattern of dark stripes. Are there any pictures of the New Jersey Specimens?? They should be peaking around now. Please listen for them and report them here.
Take care,
Elias

Comment by Elias — June 15, 2010 [AT] 9:11 pm

Possibly an Orientopsaltria species.

Possibly an Orientopsaltria species. Need a shot of the underside (opercula). See Duffels, J.P. and Zaidi, M. 2000. A revision of the cicada genus Orientopsaltria Kato (Homoptera, Cicadidae) from Southeast Asia. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 142:195-297.

Comment by David E — June 12, 2010 [AT] 3:53 am

I have an unidentified cicada seen in Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia in August 2009.

Hi!
I have an unidentified cicada seen in Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia in August 2009.
Here are the photos :
http://bit.ly/bYolcy
http://bit.ly/chPhD1

Could anyone point me to a family/genus?
Thank you

Comment by Sophie — June 11, 2010 [AT] 3:48 am

That’s actually cool news. I’ve lived in Jersey for most of the past 40 years, and I’ve never seen an Okanagana. There’s hope for me yet!

Comment by Dan — June 9, 2010 [AT] 9:30 am

CORRECTION!! the two 6/8 cicadas found in Jefferson, NJ were Genus Okanagana, and not Magicicada. Very sorry but glad to correct it! (Thanks to Dave Moskowitz)

Comment by Scott McDonnell — June 9, 2010 [AT] 9:24 am

[AT] Scott — in your location it would be Brood II.

Comment by Dan — June 9, 2010 [AT] 4:06 am

Found two magicicadas, (late XIV or early II?), mating in Jefferson Township, NJ on June 8, 2010.

Comment by Scott McDonnell — June 8, 2010 [AT] 10:09 pm

According to Marlatt’s maps, Kentucky is in Brood XIX territory. Please report your findings here and to magicicada.org.

Comment by Elias — June 3, 2010 [AT] 4:38 am

Walking in Red River Gorge in eastern KY today, we found a couple of fresh Magicicada wings with the unmistakable orange veins along the path to Auxier Ridge. We also heard just a few of them singing. These must either be stragglers or early appearing ones, as they were few and far between. Any ideas as to which brood they might belong to?

Comment by Roberta Burnes — May 29, 2010 [AT] 1:17 pm

Hello Lady
I posted pictures of hatchling nymphs on this site. i believe there are others who have contributed photographs too. They have legs and look like small clumsy termites to the naked eye. Most nymphs are usually whitish. Maybe you found a beetle grub which has small underdeveloped legs. Good luck!

Comment by Elias — May 24, 2010 [AT] 12:44 am

Hi. I was digging up a mulberry sapling today and found something that resembled a cicada larva. But it doesn’t have any legs. It was roughly the same size as a nymph, reddish-brown in color, but no legs. I could make out it’s eyes on the front of it. I was just wondering, does a nymph hatch with legs? this thing doesn’t have any.
It was about 4 to 6 inches down, in loose earth. i put it in a flowerpot with the sapling, about 6 inches down, but I’m worried about watering my plant now. will it be okay? if you can help, Thanks!

Comment by LadyStarscream — May 11, 2010 [AT] 12:22 pm

Looking for a few Brood X skins or specimens from the 2004 Indiana emergence. Already checked ebay. I’m doing an art piece and don’t really need beautifully displayed specimens, but I’ll be happy to find anything!

Comment by Courtenay — April 8, 2010 [AT] 7:48 pm

I wrote a story about a cicada, please let me know what you think of it.

http://bit.ly/b6VQFU

If you like it, please share the link with your friends.

Thank you.
: ^ )

Phantomimic

Comment by Phantomimic — March 7, 2010 [AT] 3:44 pm

Probably have about 200 cicada nymphal shells on hand from all different species. What types are you looking for?

Comment by Elias — February 2, 2010 [AT] 7:29 pm

Elizabeth,

Try ebay.

Comment by Dan — January 31, 2010 [AT] 5:33 pm

I am looking to acquire a rather large collection of cast-off cicada shells for a creative project with my 7 year old son. We’ve been collecting them for a few years, but are only upto about 20 and I’m hopeful to get 200+. Perhaps we’ll travel in 2012 to one of the 17-year sites? Figured I’d put the request out there though, in case someone has a large collection they are considering selling…

Comment by Elizabeth — January 31, 2010 [AT] 5:18 pm

It is 18 degrees Fahrenheit today. Wishing I was in Australia……..

Comment by Elias — January 30, 2010 [AT] 11:12 am

Cicada Alphabet

Cicada Alphabet: O

O is for ocelli. Ocelli are three jewel-like eyes situated between the two main, compound eyes of a cicada. We believe ocelli are used to detect light and darkness. Ocelli means little eyes in Latin.

ocelli

Okanagana is a genus of cicada found in North America. These cicadas are primarily black with white, beige or orange markings. Here is a photo of an Okanagana rimosa (Say’s Cicada). Here is a photo of an Okanagana bella.

Operculum means cover or lid in Latin, and the operculum covers the tympanum (which allows cicadas to hear).

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen photos

Orientopsaltria beaudouini is a medium sized cicada that can be found in Thailand. See a photo of a Orientopsaltria beaudouini:
Orientopsaltria beaudouini Boulard, 2003
Photo by Michel Chantraine.

The female cicada uses her Ovipositor to deposit her ovum (eggs) into a tree branch.

Christmas

Merry Christmas

Cicada Christmas

Christmas gives me a chance to use this image of a (cartoon) cicada nymph drinking the fluids of a Christmas tree.

Stamps

Cicada Stamps

Here’s some cicada stamps from around the world (with some other animals mixed in):

Cicada stamp from France

Cicada stramps from around the world

Brazil

Cigarras do Brasil

If you’re interested in the cicadas of Brazil, and why wouldn’t you be, check out the blog Cigarras do Brasil. Many cool images, including the teeny-tiny Carineta fasciculata.

The site is in Portuguese, but I used Google Translate to grab the description of the blog:

This blog is for those admirers of the insects most beloved (and loudest) of the world. If you’ve ever heard them sing (and liked), have seen their shells in trees, have tried to capture them as a child, this space is yours.

Australia

This is a razor grinder cicada (Henicopsaltria eydouxii)

Post author By Dan
Post date December 14, 2010
1 Comment on This is a razor grinder cicada (Henicopsaltria eydouxii)

This is a razor grinder cicada (Henicopsaltria eydouxii), originally uploaded by magdalena_b.

A Razor Grinder found by Vicki Nunn in Gladstone.

More photos of Razor Grinders.

I wish I had a sound file to post.

The Razor Grinder is found in eastern Queensland and NSW, and most common in December & January (Moulds, M.S.. Australian Cicadas Kennsignton: New South Wales Press, 1990, p. 68.)

Australia Cyclochila

Multi-color Cyclochila australasiae

Post author By Dan
Post date December 10, 2010
No Comments on Multi-color Cyclochila australasiae

Found on Flickr.

Addition to the display, originally uploaded by mgjefferies.

Red, orange, blue and green!

Cicada Alphabet

Cicada Alphabet: N

N is for nymph. Cicadas spend most of their life in their nymph form, burrowing underground, drinking the fluids of plant roots, growing larger… waiting for the day they emerge and transform into adult cicadas. Here is a photo of a tiny 1st instar nymph, and this is a video of full-grown nymphs that have emerged from the ground:

Magicicada cicada nymph mania from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Neocicada hieroglyphica, which was covered in Cicada Alphabet H.

Cicada Alphabet

Cicada Alphabet: M

M is for Magicicada. Magicicada is a genus of North American cicadas best known for their 17 or 13 year life cycles, and for the overwhelming numbers in which they emerge. Magicicadas are organized into broods, which emerge in specific years, in specific locations in 17 or 13 year cycles. There are seven species of Magicicada, the 17 year varieties: septendecim, cassini, septendecula, and the 13 year varieties: neotredecim, tredecim, tredecassini and tredecula. Each species is slightly different in coloring, song or other attributes. Magicicada are also know as periodical cicadas and “locusts”. There’s an abundance of Magicicada photos, video and sound files on this site, and other sites like Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org). Explore to find out more.

Magicicada on my finger by Dan from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Macrosemia is a genus of cicadas that exists in Asia. See a photo of a Macrosemia chantrainei and Macrosemia tonkiniana from Thailand.

C.L. Marlatt is best know for his study and documentation of periodical cicadas. Marlatt was an assistant entomologist working for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Entomology in the late 19th century when he produced the bulletin “The periodical cicada: an account of Cicada septendecim, its natural enemies and the means of preventing its injury : together with a summary of the distribution of the different broods”. You can read this document on the USDA website.

David Marshall is a cicada researcher well known for his research of cicadas of North America, Australia and New Zealand. Visit Insect Singers, David’s website; it’s packed with cicada photos and sound files, critical for identifying cicadas.

The Masked Devil is an orange and black color variation of the Cyclochila australasiae cicada found in Australia. See a picture of a Masked Devil. The green variety of this cicada is called the Green Grocer.

Massospora cicadina is a fungus that afflicts Magicicadas. The fungus is sexually transmitted, and destroys the abdomen of the afflicted cicada.

The Oncotympana maculaticollis a.k.a. Minmin-zemi is a Japanese cicada with a distinctive call, which sounds like its name: “min min minnnnnnnn”. If you’ve watched enough Japanese films or cartoons, you’ll recognize this cicada’s call. Visit the Cicadae in Japan site for photos and images.

Thomas E. Moore is a cicada researcher and curator of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Visit Singing Insects of North America for cicada information collected by Moore.

Cicada Alphabet

Cicada Alphabet: L

L is for locusts. Locusts are not cicadas. True locusts are grasshoppers (Wikipedia page for Locust).

Locust:

Locust

17-year cicada:

17-year cicada

People call Periodical Magicicadas locusts because they emerge in massive numbers, but they are not true locusts.

Labrum. The labrum is the structure that connects a cicada’s clypeus to their stylus. The labrum is also know as the anteclypeus.

Labium. The labium form the outside of the beak of the cicada; inside the labium is the stylet which is comprised of the mandibles and maxillae, which the cicada uses to pierce plants and drink their sap. The Latin root of both Labi and Labr is “a lip”, which makes sense when think about it.

Larvae. Cicadas larvae do not look like a grubs or maggots as you might expect; instead they look like tiny termites or ants, with 6 legs and antennae. View a video of a cicada larva.

Lembeja paradoxa, a.k.a. Bagpipe Cicada, is a cicada native to Northern Queensland Australia known for it’s massive abdomen. Here is a photo of a Lembeja paradoxa:
Timothy Emery from Thursday Island, Torres Strait off Cape York, Queensland. Bagpiipe.
Photo by Timothy Emery.

Linne’s cicada, a.k.a. Tibicen linnei, is a cicada native to most mid-western and eastern states. View a photo of Linnie’s cicada:
Tom Lehmkuhl send us this photo of an uninvited house guest (Neotibicen linnei).
Photo by Tom Lehmkuhl.

The Lyric cicada, a.k.a. Tibicen lyricen, is a cicada native to most mid-western and eastern states (similar to the Linne’s cicada). View some photos of a the Lyric cicada:

The Insect Singers website has audio files of the songs of both Linne’s cicada and the Lyric cicada.