Cicada Mania

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

March 26, 2021

When the Woods Hum by Joanne Ryder

Filed under: Books — Dan @ 9:07 pm

When the Woods Hum by Joanne Ryder, illustrated by Catherine Stock, is recognized by cicada researchers as one of the most factually accurate childrens’ books about periodical cicadas. It’s hard to come by these days because it is out of print.

It’s worth hunting down for cicada book completists. Sometimes it appears on Amazon.

When the Woods Hum by Joanne Ryder illustrated by Catherine Stock

March 21, 2021

Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition by Gene Kritsky

Filed under: Books | Gene Kritsky | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 11:00 am

Renowned cicada researcher Gene Kritsky, PhD., has a new book out: Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition. It was available for Kindle and paperback on Amazon.com. I assume Gene will have an updated version in 2038.

Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition

Gene is also has a new link for the Cicada Safari App.

March 10, 2018

Cicadas of New Zealand guidebook

Filed under: Books | New Zealand — Dan @ 9:15 am

There’s a new guidebook out for the cicadas of New Zealand. The book was produced by 10-year-old Olly Hills — proof that there are few age barriers to scientific interest and research.

Website for the book.

Facebook page for the book.

February 26, 2017

New book: The Season of the Cicadas by Les Daniels

Filed under: Books | Les Daniels — Dan @ 6:19 am

I’ve known Lester Wayne (Les) Daniels for about 20 years now, because of our mutual appreciation of cicadas. Les contributed many photos to Cicada Mania during its early years. You can still see them here. Les is an Ohio resident, and Ohio is a great state for cicada watching with at least 6 broods of periodical cicadas and over a dozen annual species as well. You can buy his cicada book on Amazon and other book sellers.

Season of the Cicadas

Description of the book from Amazon:

When we think of summer, we think of dry hot weather, all things green, and the serenades of insects. Among those serenading, none are more vibrant or boisterous than that of the 17 year cicada and their analogous annual cousins.

The sudden appearance of millions of red eyed wonders is one of the most fascinating phenomena in the entire natural world! No creatures are more remarkable nor have as much impact during the season of the cicada!

In this book the reader will learn about the life histories of these incredible bugs, their relationships with animals and the environment, and perhaps come to appreciate both them and nature itself.

Here is a news article about Les and his book.

November 2, 2016

New Cicada Photo Guide by Nathan Emery

Filed under: Australia | Books | Nathan Emery — Dan @ 5:34 am

Update 2: Listen to an ABC radio interview with Nathan.

Update: Nathan’s books are back from the press. Buy it online, or contact him via Twitter to get yours:

Nature photographer and cicada researcher Nathan Emery is working on a new book called “A Photo Guide to Common Cicadas of the Greater Sydney Region“. It is due out at the end of October, 2016.

March 4, 2015

New Version of The Cicadidae of Japan

Filed under: Books | Japan — Dan @ 6:08 am

A new version of the Cicadidae of Japan is out. This is not a reprint. It adds new photos and the accompanying CD features new audio recordings.

The book was authored by Dr. M. Haysashi and Dr. Yasumasa Saisho (of the incredible Cicadidae of Japan website).

Cicadidae of Japan

It is available on Amazon in Japan.

March 29, 2014

Australian Cicadas by M.S. Moulds

Filed under: Australia | Books — Dan @ 6:47 pm

Australian Cicadas by M.S. Moulds was first published in 1990 by the New South Wales University Press. It is the best reference for Australian cicadas that I’ve found, and I use it at least once a week.

The book covers common names of cicada, life history, predators & parasites, distribution, anatomy, sound production & reception, and classification. The book also features an extensive catalog of Australian cicadas including photos, maps, and descriptions of their behavior.

It appears on Amazon and Ebay from time to time. I found my copy used. It was expensive but well worth the price.

Australian Cicadas by Max Moulds

March 26, 2014

Cicada Books for Kids, Part 1

Filed under: Books — Dan @ 7:51 pm

I collect virtually every cicada book I can get my hands on, including books written for children. They often contain some of the best photos and illustrations, and for that reason alone they’re nice to have.

One bittersweet thing about cicada books is people often resell them after a periodical cicada emergence is over, but that also means you can get them for a low price if you don’t mind a used book. Before Amazon.com was invented, people went to a place called the library, and an entire town essentially shared a single used book.

Cicadas Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle illustrated by Meryl Henderson

This is a recent book and features page after page of color illustrations of cicadas, and cicada-related information. The book is factually accurate and the illustrations are excellent. The reading level is 4 to 8, but I think cicada fans of all ages would enjoy this book. Get it on Amazon.com.

Cicadas Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle illustrated by Meryl Henderson

Cicadas, A True Book, by Ann O Squire

Get it on Amazon.com.

Cicadas by Ann O Squire

The Visual Book of Australian Cicadas by Peter Leyden

This short book is packed with excellent illustrations of Australian cicadas. It is likely out of print, but I recommend it for the quality of the illustrations and the collectibility factor.

The Visual Book of Australian Cicadas by Peter Leyden

Cicadas and Aphids What They Have in Common by Sara Swan Miller

This book features photos (not illustrations) of cicadas and other members of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). I recommend this book for kids who want to expand their interest in insects beyond cicadas. The reading level is 8 or above.

Get it on Amazon.com.

Cicadas and Aphids What They Have in Common by Sara Swan Miller

The next three books are very similar in that they all feature photos of mostly periodical cicadas (Magicicadas) with easy-to-understand explanations. The reading level for all three is 4 to 8.

Cicadas by Helen Frost Gail Saunders-Smith Ph.D. Consulting Editor

Get it on Amazon.com.

Cicadas by Helen Frost Gail Saunders-Smith Ph.D. Consulting Editor

March 25, 2014

Catalogue of the Cicadoidea by Allen F Sanborn

Filed under: Allen F. Sanborn | Books — Dan @ 7:17 pm

The Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) by Allen F Sanborn weighs about six pounds. It’s also one of my favorite cicada books, and it usually can be found on my desk. I use it mostly to verify the names of cicadas. The book is not inexpensive, but it is also not meant academics, not for someone with a fleeting interest in cicadas. You can get a copy on Amazon.com.

The book is also ~10 years old as of 2024, and many cicada names have changed since it was published.

Catalogue of the Cicadoidea by Allen F Sanborn

Here’s a description from the publisher:

This is the third in a series of catalogs and bibliographies of the Cicadoidea covering 1981-2010. The work summarizes the cicada literature, providing a means for easy access to information previously published on a particular species or to allow researchers the ability to locate similar work that has been published on other species. A total of 2,591 references are included in the bibliography. The book is a source of biological and systematic information that could be used by zoologists, entomologists, individuals interested in crop protection, and students studying entomology as well as anyone interested in cicadas or who require specific information on the insects. Each genus/species is identified with the reference, the page number, any figures (if applicable), the topics covered by the reference, any synonymies, and any biogeographic information mentioned for the species in the individual reference. An added benefit to the catalog is that it is the first complete species list for the Cicadoidea, including all synonymies and new combinations through 2012.

Over 3,390 varieties of cicadas (yeah, I manually counted the species).

Some cicada books from Japan

Filed under: Books | Japan — Dan @ 4:04 am

Every now and then I treat myself to a cicada book from Japan. Cicadas are called semi in Japan, which seems to be spelled セミ or 蝉. Enter セミ or 蝉 into the Amazon.co.jp search box and you’ll find a bunch of cicada books (amongst other things).

I’ve already written about Dr. M. Haysashi and Dr. Yasumasa Saisho‘s fantastic The Cicadidae of Japan book. Here are some others:

セミ観察記 (写真絵本 ぼくの庭にきた虫たち):

This book features huge photos of cicadas through all phases of their lives. It also features diagrams of their lifecycle and underground tunnels.

A Cicada Book from Japan
セミ・カメムシの仲間 (海野和男のワクワク虫図鑑):

Only the first eleven pages of this book are about cicadas, but they are excellent, featuring large photos of common cicadas. The book features two pages that match nymph exoskeletons to adult cicadas.

And Another Cicada Book from Japan

セミの一生 (科学のアルバム):

This book also features many large photos of cicadas throughout their life cycle. The photos of eggs and first instar nymphs are particularly nice.

Another Cicada Book from Japan

Note that these books are not written in English.

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