Cicada Mania

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

April 23, 2008

Cicada nymphs, chimneys and holes

Filed under: Brood XIV | Magicicada | Periodical | Roy Troutman — Dan @ 5:12 pm

Here are some new photos from Roy Troutman that will give you a good idea of what to look for when searching for signs of cicadas in your yard:

This is a pair of Magicicada nymphs, much like you might find when gardening or turning over logs or stones in your yard.

Magicicada nymphs

See those beige globs of soil amongst the leaves and debris? Those are called cicada chimneys. They are a sure sign that a cicada nymph is below the soil, and will emerge in a few days or weeks.

Magicicada chimneys

Look closely at this picture and you’ll see holes in the ground. Those are holes that cicada nymphs have dug, and they’re another sure sign of where a cicada will emerge.

Cicada holes

On May 1st we’ll start making predictions as to when they’ll start to emerge.

April 12, 2008

2008 Cicada Temperature Study

Filed under: Brood XIV | Gene Kritsky | Magicicada | Roy Troutman — Dan @ 7:21 am

Roy Troutman sent me these photos of temperature loggers that allow cicada experts, like Gene Kritsky, to measure the ground soil temperature, and improve their formulas for predicting Magicicada emergences.

We [Gene Kristsky and Roy Troutman] buried 3 temperature probes & tied one on a tree branch for air readings. The temperature loggers will take a very accurate reading every 10 minutes & after the emergence has started in full swing Gene will dig them up & hook them to a usb cable & download all the data to his laptop for study. He [Gene] is trying to determine the exact temperature that they will emerge so he can fine tune his formula for calculating emergence times.

Last year Gene’s emergence formula calculator (try it!) did a good job of predicting the Brood XIII emergence, and the 2008 temperature study should only improve it.

You might be able to participate in the 2008 cicada temperature study. If you’re interested, contact Gene Kritsky.

Temperature Logger

Temperature Logger

November 4, 2007

Cicada Horror Films, Solar Power and Fish Lures

Filed under: Cicada Arts | Pop Culture | Roy Troutman — Dan @ 8:56 am

Odds and Ends:

Nanotech News: Cicadas wings are being used as the inspiration for building better solar technology. (thanks Roy)

Peng Jiang, an assistant professor of chemical engineering, is drawing inspiration from the eyes of moths and the wings of cicadas to create unusual new anti-reflective and water-repellant coatings — coatings that appear to have potential to make solar cells both more efficient and self-cleaning. Windows in cars and homes, computer screens and other consumer products also could improve thanks to the super-transparent coatings.

Russian fishing lure company www.apico-fish.ru used one of Roy Troutman’s cicada photos for a recent ad for cicada themed lures.

Russian Cicada Lure

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.

July 9, 2007

Eggs!

Filed under: Eggs | Magicicada | Roy Troutman — Dan @ 6:16 pm

Here’s a picture of Magicicada eggs from Roy Troutman. They’re about 3-4mm long. Very tiny.

Cicada Eggs

June 15, 2007

Magicicada flying slo-motion by Roy Troutman

Filed under: Magicicada | Roy Troutman | Video — Dan @ 8:41 am

Here is a video of an adult magicicada taking off for flight:

Magicicada flying slo-motion from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

Magicicada mating

Filed under: Magicicada | Mating | Roy Troutman | Video — Dan @ 8:37 am

In this video we see a male and female Magicicada cicada mating.

Magicicada mating from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

Magicicada laying eggs

Filed under: Magicicada | Ovipositing | Roy Troutman | Video — Dan @ 8:32 am

In this video we see a Magicicada cicada ovipositing:

Magicicada laying eggs from Roy Troutman.

June 10, 2007

Brood XIII Magicicada emergence in 2007 at Ryerson Woods Forrest Preserve

Filed under: Brood XIII | Magicicada | Roy Troutman | Video — Tags: — Dan @ 5:59 am

The following videos chronicle the Brood XIII Magicicada emergence in 2007 at the Forrest Preserve park outside of Chicago. The videos are by Roy Troutman.

Crowd watching Magicicada emergence at Ryerson Woods by Roy

Crowd watching Magicicada emergence at Ryerson Woods from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

Observing magicicada emergence at Ryerson Woods by Roy

Observing magicicada emergence at Ryerson Woods from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

Observing Magicicada emergence at Ryerson Woods by Roy

Observing Magicicada emergence at Ryerson Woods from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

June 9, 2007

Photos from the Cicada Mania festival

Filed under: Brood XIII | Roy Troutman — Dan @ 6:06 am

Here are two photos from the Cicada Mania festival by Roy Troutman:

An orange eyed Magicicada:

orange eyed Magicicada

3 nymphs crawling up a tree limb:

3 nymphs crawling up a tree

« Newer PostsMore »

Cicada T-shirts