Cicada ManiaThese are some small cicada chimneys created by Magicicada during Brood II in 2013 in Metuchen. Magicicadas occasionally create chimneys above the holes they emerge from — more often when the soil is wet or ground is shadowed (under a deck, in a lawn mower shed). These were shaded by a large pine.
These photos are of Brood II Cicada Events in Staten Island and NYC back in 2013. Technically the only photo from Manhattan is the cicada mosaic in the subway near the American Museum of Natural History. Most of these photos are from Staten Island Museum exhibits. The Staten Island Museum is the home of William T. Davis’ cicada collection, which numbers over 25,000 specimens. Ed Johnson was the curator of the collection at the time.
Staten Island has Brood II Magicicada. Manhattan has none, but may have in the past.
Roy Troutman and Elias Bonaros near cicada mosaic in subway:
Dan Mozgai featured on the Staten Island Museums Cicada Timeline:
John Cooley (middle) and Ed Johnson (right) at the Staten Island Museum:
Staten Island Museum 17 Year Cicada Exhibit:
Staten Island Museum 17 Year Cicada Exhibit:
The Joy of Six Legged Sex event at the Staten Island Museum:
William T Davis information at the Staten Island Museum:
A Magicicada with Pink Eyes held by Chris Simon. This photo was taken in the field, not at a museum.
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:
Brood II Magicicada from Woodbridge, New Jersey (2013). Elias Bonaros, Roy Troutman and I went looking for cicadas in Middlesex County.
Male Magicicada septendecula found in Woodbridge Township NJ:
M. septendecim top and M.cassini bottom exuvia in Colonia NJ:
Magicicada exuvia in Merrill Park in Colonia NJ:
Male Magicicada cassini found in Merrill Park in Colonia NJ:
Many Magicicada on a single small tree in Merrill Park in Colonia NJ:
Many many Magicicada on a single small tree in Merrill Park in Colonia NJ:
Profile of a mustard eyed Magicicada septendecim found in Merrill Park in Colonia NJ:
Yellow Eyed Magicicada in Merrill Park in Colonia NJ:
Female Magicicada cassini Colonia NJ:
Brood II Magicicada from Woodbridge, New Jersey (2013). Elias Bonaros, Roy Troutman and I went looking for cicadas in Middlesex County.
A pair of mating Magicicada septendecim found in Woodbridge Township NJ:
There was a population of Magicicada septendecula near the Metropark train station.
Female Magicicada septendecula found in Woodbridge Township NJ:
Male Magicicada septendecula found in Woodbridge Township NJ:
Brood II Magicicada photos by Dani Siddle from Brood II, part 1. They were taken in the Malden-on-Hudson area of New York in 2013.
Skip to Part 2.
Female Magicicada cassini:
Magicicada cassini:
Magicicada cassini:
Magicicada cassini:
Magicicada cassini:
Magicicada:
Magicicada:
My Magicicada photos from 1996, Brood II. These were taken with disposable cameras and scanned in with a flatbed scanner also from the 1990s. They’re mostly from Metuchen NJ. Otherwise they’re from Westfield NJ.
At this point in time I was not as interested in cicadas as I am now. Back in 1996 they were more of a novelty, but over time my obsession grew.
Magicicada adults in a jar:
Magicicada exuvia in a jar:
Scenes from a cicada wedding:
My friends David & Claire were married in an outdoor wedding ceremony in Westfield, NJ, at the peak of the Brood II emergence. No one freaked out — in fact everyone seemed to enjoy it, especially the kids.
The bride and groom, Claire and David:
A cicada creeping up a wedding chair leg during the ceremony:
Video from the wedding:
I was even calling them “locusts” back then. Gee wiz.
During the Brood II emergence in 2013, Elias Bonaros, Roy Troutman and I spent some time experimenting with coercing male Magicicada to call in response to finger snaps, which mimic the snap of a female cicada’s wings. This trick works fairly well with Magicicada, and can quickly be mastered once you work out the timing. Fingers, wall switches, and the zoom button on my Sony video camera do a good job at mimicking the snap of a females wings.
Magicicada cassini responding to fingersnaps from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
I also recorded their calls in terms of decibels to see just how loud they could get. They can get very loud, but not as loud as a rock concert (see this db chart).
Magicicada cassini calling at 109db in Colonia NJ from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Magicicada cassini chorusing center peaking at 85db from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
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.
A news story came out in November reporting that M. cassini appeared in areas of Connecticut where they were not expected during the Brood II emergence this year. This must have been a 2013 highlight for cicada researchers in the Connecticut area.