Nymphs (Page 2) - Cicada Mania

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

June 26, 2013

Help the Simon Cicada Lab study periodical cicada nymphs

The Simon Lab is dedicated to the study of cicadas, in particular, periodical cicadas.

One of the things they study is the development of cicada nymphs while they are underground.

They need your help to collect cicada nymph specimens. You would dig for them, and if you find them, mail them to the Simon Lab. The nymphs will be used for valuable scientific study, so the loss of a few from your yard will not be in vain.

If you are interested in participating in cicada nymph research, visit The Simon Lab Nymph Tracking Project page for more information. You must have had periodical cicadas on your property in past 13 or 17 years to find the nymphs — not including the Brood II area, since those nymphs came out of the ground this year.

Cicada Nymphs

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October 26, 2011

Cicadas serenaded the dinosaurs

Filed under: Gene Kritsky | Nymphs — Dan @ 10:15 am

Apparently cicadas serenaded the dinosaurs! Entomologist and Mount St. Joseph professor Gene Kritsky shared the news today that cicadas lived as long as 110 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.

A quote from a press release:

New research has documented that cicadas, those noisy insects that sing during the dog days of summer, have been screaming since the time of the dinosaurs.

A fossil of the oldest definitive cicada to be discovered was described by George Poinar, Jr., Ph.D., professor of zoology at Oregon State University and Gene Kritsky, Ph.D., professor of biology, at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati. The cicada, measuring 1.26 mm in length, was named Burmacicada protera.

Read the full Press Release on the MSJ website.

Here is a photo of the ancient Burmacicada protera cicada nymph trapped in amber. Photo credit: George Poinar, Jr., Ph.D.

Burmacicada protera. Copyright of George Poinar, Jr.

It looks a lot like a modern-day first-instar cicada nymph:
First instar cicada nymphs
Photo by Roy Troutman.

Update: Here’s a video news story about Gene’s fossil find.

I need a step-up my fossil collecting hobby. It looks like there’s some places in New Jersey to find fossils. Maybe I’ll find a cicada.

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March 29, 2010

New Magicicada nymph photos

Filed under: Elias Bonaros | Magicicada | Nymphs — Dan @ 5:05 am

Elias went digging for Magicicada nymphs on 3/21. Here’s a gallery of the nymphs he found.

Elias's 1st and 2nd Instar Magicicada nymph

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August 5, 2007

1st Instar Magicicada Nymphs

Filed under: Brood XIV | Magicicada | Nymphs | Roy Troutman | Video — Dan @ 4:04 pm

Here’s a photo of first instar Magicicada nymphs by Roy Troutman:

1st instar Magicicada nymphs

Here is video of a 1st instar magicicada nymph crawling around taken just minutes after it crawled from its egg sack:

1st instar magicicada nymph from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

1st instar magicicada nymph in slow motion by Roy:

1st instar magicicada nymph in slow motion from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

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June 5, 2007

Magicicada nymphs emerging by Roy

Filed under: Brood XIII | Magicicada | Nymphs | Roy Troutman | Video — Dan @ 8:59 am

Magicicada nymphs emerging by Roy Troutman.

Magicicada nymphs emerging from Roy Troutman\.

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October 11, 2005

Cicada Larvae Pictures

Filed under: Eggs | Nymphs — Dan @ 8:35 pm

So, what do cicada larvae look like? Technically they’re called nymphs, not larvae. When cicadas progress from one stage of development to another, they molt, rather than pupate. Each stage of development is called an instar. Most, if not all, cicadas go through five instars. The adult phase is the fifth instar.

First, here’s what their eggs look like:

Cicada Eggs
Photo by Roy Troutman.

When the eggs hatch, the cicadas don’t look like a grub or maggot as you might expect; instead they look like tiny termites or ants, with 6 legs and antennae. At this point, they’re called first instar nymphs.

Here are some first instar cicadas:

First instar cicada nymphs
Photo by Roy Troutman.

Here is a first and second instar cicada in the soil:

Elias's 1st and 2nd Instar Magicicada nymph
Photo by Elias Bonaros.

Here is a first, second, third, and fourth instar:

Cicada Nymphs
Photo courtesy of Chris Simon.

If you are interested in participating in cicada nymph research, visit The Simon Lab Nymph Tracking Project page for more information. You must have had periodical cicadas on your property in the past 13 or 17 years to find the nymphs — not including the Brood II area since those nymphs came out of the ground this year.

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