Cicada ManiaJim Thorpe Pennsylvania Magicicada Emergence Gallery #2.
These images are from 2016, Brood V.
Click/tap the image for a larger version.
Visit Gallery #1 as well.
Many Magicicada on a tree in the shade:
Ovipositing Magicicada septendecim:
Two Magicicada septendecim:
Zombie Cicada. Not Really, just dead:
Visit Gallery #1 as well.
Here are some Magicicada cassinii photos from Brood X, 2021, Flemmington, New Jersey.
Magicicada cassinii ovipositing
M. cassinii taking a drink:
When Magicicada cicadas deposit eggs into a tree branch sometimes the branch dies, the leaves turn brown, and the branch droops like a flag. This is called flagging.
Here are some examples of flagging from the Brood X emergence in Princeton, NJ.
Typically flagging is more impactful to trees imported to North America, but it also impacts native species. The positive aspect is it prunes weaker branches, which helps the tree, and helps other plants in the shade of the tree.
If you want to learn whether eggs/larva survive flagging read FLAGGING: HOSTS DEFENCES VERSUS OVIPOSITION STRATEGIES IN PERIODICAL CICADAS (MAGICICADA SPP., CICADIDAE, HOMOPTERA) by JoAnn White. Hint: very few survive.
A small tree with flagging:
Flagging up close:
Another small tree with flagging:
Brood II Magicicada from Edison, New Jersey (2013).
A mess of Magicicada exuvia and corpses at the foot of a tree in Roosevelt Park in Edison NJ:
David Rothenberg, John Cooley, Asher Jay and others looking for cicadas in Roosevelt Park:
Magicicada septendecim laying eggs _ovipositing_ in Roosevelt Park in Edison NJ:
Magicicada septendecim laying eggs ovipositing in Roosevelt Park in Edison NJ:
Magicicada septendecim with Massospora fungus found at the Edison Memorial Tower Park in Edison NJ:
Many Magicicada emergence holes in Edison Memorial Tower park in Edison NJ:
Mating Magicicada in Roosevelt Park in Edison NJ:
Mating Magicicada in Roosevelt Park NJ:
Mirror Image – Edison Memorial Tower Park:
It’s been about six weeks since the emergence of Brood VIII in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Oklahoma. Now (first week of August) is a good a time as any to check for periodical cicada nymphs that have hatched from eggs laid in branches. Once they hatch they’ll find their way to the ground, where they’ll find and begin feeding on roots for the next 17 years.
Look on branches where cicada laid their eggs.
An illustration of egg nests (Marlatt 1907 Egg Nest Detail):
A nymph on a branch with adult male finger for comparison:
Close up:
Another close up:
When I think of cicadas I rarely think of them as an agricultural pest, mostly because I’m located in the U.S. where they’re not quite a menace to agriculture as other creatures can be, like aphids or the dreaded, invasive Spotted Lanternfly. Periodical cicadas can be a pest to fruit trees1 — tip: don’t plant an orchard where periodical cicadas live. Whenever there is an emergence of periodical cicadas some of the weaker, ornamental, or fruit trees will be lost to damage from ovipositing (egg-laying). In these cases, the cicadas are impacting non-native trees introduced into America — apples, pears, and peaches are originally from Asia — and these trees did not evolve to withstand cicadas and their root-sucking, egg-laying ways. I. “Cicada lawyer” recommends that I don’t give too much advice in this area.
Cicada Laywer says “don’t give advice you aren’t willing to back up in court, and we need to discuss your ‘Instarbucks logo’.”
Outside the U.S., cicadas can have more of an impact on agriculture. In Australia, the Brown sugarcane cicada (Cicadetta crucifera), Green cicada (C. multifascia), and Yellow sugarcane cicada (Parnkalla muelleri) suck on sugar plant roots when they’re nymphs, which can cause poor or failed ratoons2. Also in Australia, the Bladder Cicada is said to cause severe damage to olive trees when they oviposit (lay eggs in branches)3.
I was researching the cicadas of Brazil, trying to ID a cicada someone emailed me. One thing I noticed was a lot of papers about cicadas mention coffee (cafeeiro). Papers have names like, “Description and key to the fifth-instars of some Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) associated with coffee plants in Brazil”4, or “Description of new cicada species associated with the coffee plant and an identification key for the species of Fidicinoides (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from Brazil”5. These documents often contain wonderful cicada information, illustrations, and photos, just the sort of stuff I’m looking for.
Coffee and cicadas. Cafeeiro e cigarras. This association piqued my interest because I am both a huge fan of cicadas and coffee. Both are addictions, and if I tried to quit either, it would be painful (I’ve tried — lots of headaches). I enjoy cicadas as a hobby, and coffee as a stimulant and treat. I’ve even thought of opening a cafe called “Instarbucks” (that is a joke for entomologists).
Unfortunately, the association between coffee and cicadas is that cicadas are pests of the coffee plant. As nymphs, they suck the xylem roots of the coffee plant, and may occasionally cause damage4. Of course, coffee farms will be none too pleased about possible damage to their cash crops, so a lot of research goes into cicadas and their relationship to the coffee plant. Coffee is not native to Brazil, it originates from Ethiopia, and so it’s another non-native species of plant, grown for agricultural reasons, that is impacted by a native species of cicada. I’m sensing a pattern here. The unfortunate (for cicadas) reality is that folks will use information about the cicadas to control them, rather than risk damage to their coffee crops.
I’ll use the rest of this article to discuss coffee + cicada papers and some highlights within.
This paper is interesting as it describes and visually illustrates the physical characteristics of each instar (phase) of the cicadas development during their nymph stage. It covers these cicadas: Dorisiana drewseni (Stål) Dorisiana viridis (Olivier), Fidicina mannifera (Fabricius), Fidicinoides pronoe (Walker) and Carineta fasciculata (Germar). Related to coffee, these researchers are providing the knowledge that allows folks to identify fifth-instar nymphs, for the purpose of determining the extent of a plant’s cicada infestation4.
This paper describes and visually illustrates the ovipositing behavior of Quesada gigas (the Giant Cicada). Related to coffee — other than the fact that Q. gigas will lay their eggs in the coffee’s tree branches — this paper provides ideas for preventing the egg-laying behavior, such as the removal of dry branches from “the upper third of the coffee plant, which is the preferred egg-laying location”6.
Nice photo of the bearly 2mm long cicada eggs — very small for a very large cicada.
Unfortunately, I cannot read Portuguese, so I cannot read this article. That said, the illustrations of the Quesada gigas nymphs (ninfas) contained within are wonderful.
This paper describes a new cicada, Fidicinoides sarutaiensis Santos, Martinelli & Maccagnan sp. n, and provides information, illustrations and photos to help identify this cicada and others belonging to the genus Fidicinoides, including F. opalina, F. sericans, F. pauliensis, F. picea, F. pronoe, F. distanti, F. brisa, F. rosabasalae, F. brunnea, F. besti, F. sucinalae, F. saccifera, F. jauffretti, and F. pseudethelae. Related to coffee, these cicadas feed on the xylem roots of coffee plants.7
This paper includes wonderful photos of key parts of these cicadas’ anatomy, which is very helpful for identifying them.
There are many more papers about cicadas that appreciate coffee plants as much as you do. I’ll leave it up to you to research further.
If I had to choose, I’d choose cicadas over coffee. Which would you choose?
Sources:
Got flagging? Flagging happens when tree branches wilt or die due to cicada egg laying, resulting in bunches of brown leaves. Don’t worry, this will not cause trees to die, unless they are small and weak trees. Flagging can actually do a tree a favor, by removing its weakest branches.
Some video of cicada flagging:
A photo of flagging:
Here are two videos of Magicicada septendecula from Brood II.
Magicicada septendecula from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
A female Magicicada septendecula ovipositing from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Here’s some cicada video I shot over the weekend. Enjoy:
Magicicada trying to take a drink from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Singing Magicicada septendecim from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Magicicada septendecim ovipositing from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Magicicada septendecim ovipositing from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Close up of a tymbal of a Magicicada septendecim from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.