Category: Magicicada

Categories
Magicicada

My Magicicada Diary from 1996

1996 was the year I started this site, and the year I discovered the 17-year cicada. This is my cicada diary from 1996:

  • Sunday, May 19th: Metuchen, New Jersey; I found the first desiccated cicada nymph exoskeleton on my patio. My cat disappears.
  • Tuesday, May 21st: I found about 40 nymph exoskeletons on my patio, a pine tree and a maple tree. I also spotted an adult climbing the maple and two crippled adults rolling about the base of the tree.
  • Wednesday, May 22nd: Bonanza! I found about 500 adults perched on just about everything in my yard: trees, patio furniture, the foundation of my home, the garden hose, garbage cans, the missing cat’s water dish, my hair…just plain everywhere! Gruesome!
  • Saturday, May 25th: Avenel, New Jersey; Party at the Ritzow’s. Literally hundreds of adult cicadas perched high above in oak trees sneer at decadent humans sipping martini’s, playing croquet. Bourgeois homosapiens…bah humbug!
  • Thursday, May 30th: Metuchen, New Jersey; Still no sign of the cat. Sitting outside on my patio around 8:30pm I hear a “snap”, “crackle” and “popping” sound. Rice Crispies? No. More like cicadas nymphs crawling out of their holes and on to my garden wall to molt into adult hood. Not the loveliest sight.
  • Saturday, June 1st: Westfield, New Jersey; Dave Wilson and Claire Adas’ wedding. A beautiful ceremony and reception, with the exception of the 9000 uninvited cicadas: crawling up peoples legs, crunching underfoot, landing in refreshments…a moment to cherish and remember!
  • Tuesday, June 4th: North Edison, New Jersey; The cicadas have begun to sing! All together they sound like a Boeing 767 is circling 40 feet overhead. The sound is that awesome. 10 inch deep piles of dying post coitus adults litter the base of trees. The invasion has only begun!
  • Wednesday, June 5th – Monday, June 17th: Metuchen, North Edison, Colonia, Avenel, New Jersey; The invasion is in full effect! Home owners in North Edison and Colonia report having to haul away the dying bodies of cicadas in wheelbarrows! Residents describe the cicadas’ combined mating screams as “loud as a UFO” [how do they know what a UFO sounds like?] and “like a Mack Truck was floating ten foot above your head”! Someone even told me cicadas taste like shrimp! I guess they made the best of a bad situation.
  • Wednesday, June 26th: Metuchen, New Jersey; It appears the invasion is over. All that remains is the dismembered, rotting corpses and the memories, sweet, sweet, memories. But remember, They’ll be back…in the year 2013!
  • Saturday, August 3rd: Metuchen, New Jersey; Looking out my second story window I can clearly see the damage done by the 17-year cicadas. Brown patches of dead leaves speckle local oak and maple trees, revealing the branches where the female cicada has chosen to lay her eggs; an interesting “natural disaster”, but, not as heart-breaking as an earth quake or a flood. Clearly the most provocative news regarding cicadas is the current hatch of annual cicadas, which are larger than the “17-year” cicadas (thoroughly illustrated within this web page) and greener. Another dissimilarity is the difference in their respective mating calls: while the “17-year” cicada makes a whirring sound somewhere between the motor of a vacuum cleaner and a car alarm, the “annual” cicada sounds more like a lawn sprinkler or maybe a sewing machine. Although I can clearly hear hundreds of “annual” cicadas and I have found their shells, I haven’t visually located a single one ! Another cicada related event has been the recent hatch of “cicada killer” wasps. These two-inch long giant wasps only prey upon, our friend, the defenseless cicada. I haven’t located these creatures either, but, they are definitely out there. Cicadas beware!
  • Wednesday, August 26th: Metuchen, New Jersey; the Tibicen cicadas continue to sing…
  • Wednesday, November 6th: Metuchen, New Jersey; they are all dead or sucking on roots underground.
Categories
Books Gene Kritsky Magicicada Periodical

An Interview with Gene Kritsky

Gene’s new book for 2024: A Tale of Two Broods: The 2024 Emergence of Periodical Cicada Broods XIII and XIX book by Dr. Gene Kritsky.

A Tale of Two Broods: The 2024 Emergence of Periodical Cicada Broods XIII and XIX

The 2006 Interview:

Gene Kritsky is one of the foremost and most accessible cicada researchers in North America. His excellent book In Ohio’s Backyard–Periodical Cicadas is a Cicada Mania favorite. Gene’s new book Periodical Cicadas: The Plague and the Puzzle is due out any day now. You should also visit Gene’s web site. Gene was kind enough to answer some of our questions — we hope you enjoy them:

Cicada Mania: There are a mind-boggling variety of insects in the world — why did you choose to focus your studies on cicadas?

Gene Kritsky: I am a student of history. I was first introduced to periodical cicadas by Frank N. Young at Indiana University. I immediately felt that there must be a wealth of information about periodical cicadas that had been overlooked through the years. It was mining that information, coupled with studying their biology that started it all for me.

CM: You have a new book titled Periodical Cicadas: The Plague and the Puzzle "emerging" in books stores soon. How does it differ from your previous cicada book In Ohio’s Backyard–Periodical Cicadas?

GK: The Plague and the Puzzle has a greater focus on history. It includes a long-lost manuscript written in 1716, the first stand-alone published work on periodical cicadas, a terminology timeline, and a review of what has happened in the past 104 years including, including new findings from my lab. In Ohio’s Backyard is a field guide for people wanting to experience the periodical cicadas. It contains activities for teachers and parents to help kids to better appreciate these insects.

CM: What makes Magicicada Brood X different from other emergences?

GK: Brood X is the largest of the 17-year broods. It has a long history going back to 1715. For me personally, I first studied Brood X in 1987 when it emerged in Cincinnati. It gave me the opportunity to set up some experiments that will finally come to completion. It is, therefore, like an old friend coming back to visit.

CM: Will all three 17-year Magicicada species (septendecim, cassini, &
septendecula) emerge this year?

GK: Yes, we are expecting all three species this year.

CM: Have you ever observed animosity between cicadas of different species? What cicada qualities make a male Magicicada more likely to find a mate? Does the guy with the loudest call, have the best chance of passing on his genes?

GK: I have not noticed animosity between the species, but have seen males of the same species compete for females by overlapping their calls. But we must be careful not to give the periodical cicadas human emotions. I think they are simply responding to a genetic cue, and doing what they do best. That being singing, matings, laying eggs, and dying.

CM: Do you think the mayor of Cincinnati should consider replacing the Flying Pig monuments with Cicada monuments?

GK: It is interesting that we have the same mayor this year as we did in 1987. This time, however, the city is getting into the emergence with a greater sense of fun. We are going to have a CD of cicada songs, cicada-free zones, cicada parties, cicada exhibits, t-shirts, jewelry, etc.

CM: Cincinnati is known for its chili restaurants. Know any good cicada chili recipes?

GK: I have not had them in chili, but they should be a nice addition. I personally like them battered and fried with a nice hot mustard sauce.

Periodical Cicadas: the Plague and the Puzzle:

Periodical Cicadas: the Plague and the Puzzle

There is usually a copy or two on Amazon.com.

In Ohio’s Backyard: Periodical Cicadas:

In Ohio's Backyard: Periodical Cicadas

Categories
Magicicada Periodical Video

Cicada Wedding Planner

Bride

The most frequently asked question we get is "will cicadas spoil my outdoor wedding"? I guess Al Roker gets the " will it rain on my wedding day" questions? Seriously, most people consider their wedding day the most important day of their life — no wonder they want it to be perfect. I’m no Jennifer
Lopez, but I’ll try to help you plan around these potential wedding crashers.

The Date

Magicicada typically emerge sometime in early May and have expired by the last week of June. When they emerge depends on where you live. Typically, cicadas in northern states emerge later than those in southern states, but you can pretty much count on them being around in May and June. Try the cicada emergence formula to try to estimate when they will emerge in your area.

You can use the chart on our Frequently Asked Questions page to see if Magicicadas are emerging in your state in the year of your wedding.

The Location

There are two things you need to consider: 1) your state and city, and 2) the actual location where the wedding will be held.

Your state and city:

First check the cicada maps!

  • Step 1: Find an actual map of your state and town – you can use Mapquest.
  • Step 2: Find a corresponding cicada brood map. A brood map will tell you where the cicadas will appear in a given year. We have most of the brood maps here.
  • Step 3) compare the brood map with the real map. If the areas match, cicadas may be an issue.

The actual location where the wedding will be held:

The good news is Magicicadas don’t emerge in every yard and every neighborhood. You have to do some research:

  1. Ask the property owners what the last emergence was like. If they weren’t around, knock on a few doors, or go to the library and check the town newspaper. Obviously, if the last emergence was heavy, cicadas may be an issue.
  2. Does the property have no trees, some trees, or is it like a forest? Cicadas love trees, especially deciduous trees (like oaks, maples) and fruit trees. If there are plenty of trees in the yard or the surrounding yards, cicadas may be an issue.

Do’s

  1. Consider renting a hall. Sure, grandma’s yard is pretty,
    but nothing beats peace of mind — and it might rain anyway.
  2. If you’re set on having an outdoor wedding rent a big tent. Definitely, have a tent for the ceremony and guests. Remember, it has to fit the band as well. You might also consider renting a second tent for the food area.
  3. Music. Cicadas are loud, and you will hear them, but good PA systems (like those DJs use), and bands are louder. A small stereo might not be loud enough.
  4. The food. Don’t bring it out until it’s time to eat, and keep it covered. Your caterer should have some ideas as well — like serve the food inside the house, or under a tent. Cicadas have no interest in human food, but one might fall out of a tree and into the potato salad.
  5. Educate your guests: Let them know that cicadas don’t sting like bees. Let them know they’ll be around for the length of the party.
  6. Clean up: Cicadas leave skins behind — you may have to clean up before the wedding. A shop vac works fine.
  7. Make a game of it. Kids love bugs: have some containers around for the kids to collect the cicadas in. It’s something they’ll never forget.
  8. Bring your sense of humor, and relax. Like rain, there’s not much you can do about it. If the property is full of cicadas, get set for some hilarious pictures.
  9. Bagpipes are effective at drowning out cicadas.

The Don’ts

  1. Don’t Use pesticide. You’ll only stink up the yard, and make the guests sick. Plus, cicadas are flyers — the cicadas from the neighbor’s yard will fly right into yours.
  2. Don’t Panic. They’re only bugs, and while they look fearsome and have hard body parts, they don’t bite and sting like bees and flies do.

What you can expect

  1. The bodies of dead cicadas littering the ground.
  2. The constant hum of cicada song.
  3. An occasional cicada landing on a guest. Guests screaming.
  4. An occasional cicada crawling on a table, chair, barbecue.

I speak from personal experience. In 1996 friends of mine had an outdoor wedding in the midst of a cicada emergence. The yard was filled with tall oak trees (which cicadas love) — and plenty of cicadas as well. Cicada shells littered the ground near the base of trees. You could hear the cicadas hum the whole time, but they didn’t drown out the music (a classic quartet, and a DJ later on). An occasional cicada landed on a guest, and you could see a few crawling on lawn chairs, but everyone seemed to take it in stride and the kids loved them. The cicadas only made the event even more memorable.

On the other hand, my sister thinks the cicadas “pretty much destroyed the wedding”, so maybe you should rent a hall after all.

Lastly, here’s some scenes from a cicada infested wedding I attended in 1996:

Scenes from a Cicada Wedding – Brood II 1996 from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Good Luck!

— Dan

Categories
Brood X Magicicada

Melanie Chang’s Magicicada Photos

Here’s some nostalgia for you: Brood X photos from Burke, VA, June 2004, taken by Melanie Chang.

Click the images for a larger version.

Brood X photos from Burke, VA

Brood X photos from Burke, VA

Categories
Brood XXIII Magicicada

Magicicada Curveball

I bet you thought I was going to post another Tibicen photo! Here’s a Magicicada photo Ryan Anderson took during the 2002 brood XXIII emergence in Kentucky.

Magicicada

Now is a good a time as any to point out the difference between Magicicadas and Tibicens:

Magicicadas:

  • Emerge in en masse in groups called broods
  • There are 15 different broods. Broods emerge every 13 or 17 years depending on the brood. No broods emerged in 2006.
  • Magicicadas have red eyes, black bodies and orange legs and wings
  • Other names for Magicicadas: periodical cicadas, “locusts”, 17-year cicadas, 13-year cicadas

Tibicens:

  • Emerge in limited numbers, and not in broods
  • Emerge every year
  • Tibicens are typically larger than Magicicadas. Tibicens are usually a combination of green, black, or brown.
  • Other names for Tibicens: Harvest Flies, annual cicadas, Dog-Day cicadas
Categories
Magicicada Old Message Board Periodical

Archive of Magicicada Discussions 2005-2006


Comment by Brandi — August 27, 2006 [AT] 7:02 pm

I am from Sharon, Pennsylvania. My cat has brought 2 Magicicadas in my house . We have been hearing them sing the last few days . They were big and black with clear wings .

Comment by Sherry Vanditta — August 14, 2006 [AT] 3:31 pm

I live in Sacramento, California. In the past two weeks my cat has been bringing in cicadas. There have been about 10 of them so far. I’ve had three “delivered” in the last two days. I’ve done a little research on the web and this doesn’t appear to be the norm. I don’t see any outside, but pretty sure I hear them up in my huge tree. None of my neighbors hve this problem either.

Isn’t this unusual? They look like they are Magicicada cassini or Magicicada septendecula. Any enlightenment will be appreciated.

Comment by Bea Maurer — July 24, 2006 [AT] 10:22 pm

Our location is 38.2 N, 86.2 degrees W. This is a little neighborhood off of Blanton Lane and Dixie Hwy in Louisville, KY. This morning I was cleaning my pool and I heard a splash in it. This poor creature had landed in it. Not sure what it was, I got it out and came in to check on the web. From what I found on cicadamania.com,it must be a straggler. My cam is not working so no picture can be taken. I will try to get a pic before I let it go if anyone is interested. I hear them occasionally at night, but first time I’ve actually seen one since I was a child. My grandson has found shells over the past 2 yrs, but we never found one till now. Just thought I’d let ya know for those who are interested.

Comment by Donna Denson — July 8, 2006 [AT] 7:32 am

June 17, 2006
Our dog found a Okanagana rimosa cicada in our backyard. This was in Edmonton Alberta Canada off the revine in the Capilano area. Very cool never seen anything like it. A black star with an orange circle just behind its head on a plate of some sort. It has since been taken to the University 0f Alberta; Strickland Entomological Museum.

Comment by M. Valgardson — June 22, 2006 [AT] 10:57 am

Some very late notes on brood xxiii in central Mississippi, May, 2002.
In the Jackson, MS area tridecassini was probably the most numerous species, with tridecim next, and tridecula a very distant third. M. tridecassini is the one that makes a ticking sound followed by a buzz like a weedeater revving up. There were so many that the sound was really deafening, and the intensity would rise and fall, like waves crashing on a beach. I think that each species aggregated with its own kind, but I have no proof. The much quieter tridecim—the one with the “pharaoh” song was in smaller groups. I noticed that very early in the morning, before the sun came up, the tridecims were singing, but none of the others. I also noticed that when I was going home on my bicycle after dark, my bicycle light elicited buzzes and partial songs from a few of the cicadas as I went by. The rather scarce tridecula were in small groups, and they tended to be where the trees were not tall—basically in fields where the trees were just moving in.
In 2003, 2004, and 2005, each May, I heard a few tridecassini stragglers singing. Before the big spring 2002 brood, I heard one tridecassini that jumped the gun in October, 2001!

Comment by Paul Krombholz — September 20, 2005 [AT] 9:34 pm

August 23, 2005

Went out on my deck this morning to enjoy a cup of coffee. When I went to sit down I had a visitor resting on my chair. It’s the first Cicada I’ve seen up close since the 80s. I’ve heard them humming in the trees all summer. They’re loud and they’re here in Rocky Hill, CT.

Comment by Marilyn — August 23, 2005 [AT] 6:30 am

I am in Rockville, MD and we had a HUGE emergence last year — HUGE. I didn’t realize that there would be any this year but I have been hearing the buzzing sound for a little over a week and wasn’t sure what it was. Well, when 2 were swarming around me last evening, I then realized it. I found 3 dead ones on the ground today while gardening and as I type this, every once in awhile, there is a “knock” on the window from one when they run into the glass. Nothing like last year but there are definately some in this area!

Comment by Susan — August 22, 2005 [AT] 10:38 pm

A friend of mine also has them in Mansura, La.
I had taken pics, but I think I deleted them, will try again

Comment by iluvmykhalil — August 15, 2005 [AT] 4:13 pm

8/15/05—-There are alot in Princeton, Illinois.
I have seen one on my porch about every other day. There dead skin or what ever you call it, well let’s just say in my front yard I found at least 20 of them, it feels like we are infested with them, ok maybe I am over exaggerating. I don’t like them, they are big, ugly and scare me!

Comment by iluvmykhalil — August 15, 2005 [AT] 4:10 pm

I saw 2 Magicicadas in Camden, NJ in 2 days. On August 12th, I saw a dead one laying on the walkway in front of Cooper Hospital. Then on August 14th I saw one on the screen of my front door in Cramer Hill, NJ. When I opened the door it tried to fly away but banged into the post and into the grass. Very big insect!! I have alot of trees in my yard and live close to a wooded area so if I see one on one of my trees, I will try to take a picture. It’s hard though since I am afraid of insects. Also,on my way to Wildwood, NJ I heard them singing the entire way through the Atlantic City Expressway on August 13th as well.

Comment by M Casiano — August 14, 2005 [AT] 9:15 am

The Cicadas are here un the Upstate of South Carolina. I live in a little town southwest of Greenville SC called Honea Path. We have Oak and Chesnut Trees and the are singing wonderfully all day like I used to hear them in Southern France.
Now here I need an expert for answers? I heard the same noise last year. Not quite as prominent then this year but still I could hear them well every day.
This year I have been looking around and found some dead Magicicadas.
I am a little lost about this 17 year cicle. How could I have heard some last year and this year.
Are they other types of cicadas that live every year and make a similar noise?
Also as I go about enjoying these wonderful creatures of nature I hear being closer some high pitch singing less loud and frequent?
I would be thankful if anybody can give me more information. Suggestions of site with information and an excellent book about cicadas.
I feel in heaven, romantic and this wonderful noise while reading a book under a tree is an awesome feeling.
Edmond Schafeitel
Honea Path SC

Comment by Edmond Schafeitel — August 14, 2005 [AT] 8:38 am

The Cicadas are here in Charlotte, NC in droves. I am on the southwest side of Charlote, near the SC border. The oak trees are ringing loudly. Now the starlings are showing up in flocks for the buffet. I have never been glad to see starlings until now. I didn’t see any Cicadas in my neighborhood last year, and if they were here, there weren’t very many of them. This is the third time I have witnessed them during my lifetime.

Comment by Dr.Volts — August 14, 2005 [AT] 6:16 am

I saw one two days ago, and I squished them in between my toes, ohh how I love the feeling. Anyone know when more are comming in, I did this two times so far, there blue eyes, turn red when you moosh them!

[Moderator: don’t moosh cicadas.]

Comment by Ceerie — August 13, 2005 [AT] 8:09 pm

Seattle WA, Aug 8, 2005, 2 pm 80 degrees.
I had to have my wife tell me what the hell that noise was. I have never seen or heard anything like this before, though i only moved to Seattle in 1988.
I grew up in eastern Montana, and have never heard them.

Wierd!!!

Comment by lloyd — August 7, 2005 [AT] 8:35 am

Cicadas are buzzing heavily in Narberth, Pa. Actually spotted a live one on a chair in my yard. Found several shells in a tree and on the ground. Thought they only emerged every 17 yrs? Although their sound is soothing to myself, my young child is terrified of their noise. How long should we expect them to be around? Thanks!!

Comment by Heather G. — August 6, 2005 [AT] 4:22 pm

I know nothing about cicadas but they are in my yard. I live in Waukesha WI and they have been here for a couple of weeks, yet a friend who lives 1/4 mile away does not hear them in his yard. We only hear them at night as soon as the sun goes down they start singing and are quite loud. Tonight they are not as loud and it doesn’t sound as if there are as many as there have been in the last few weeks. Are these what you call stragglers? I found 1 shell in our driveway but did not realize what it was until I started ready about them on you website

Comment by gundi davis — August 5, 2005 [AT] 7:40 pm

Location: Boone, NC, right on the TN/NC/VA border. Last year I eagerly awaited Brood X, but was terribly dissapointed. I might have heard 2 at my home, at the most. While rafting on the Nolichucky River in TN (2004), they were deafening! This year, my home is surrounded by them. We have been having some unusually hot weather breaking a long standing record by hitting 90deg last week, maybe that’s why they are so active. I have been stalking the woods with my camera trying to get a pic, but they are everywhere except for where I am! Camera shy little suckers….

Comment by Shannon K — August 1, 2005 [AT] 9:36 am

I live in Freeport, NY (Long Island) I have about 10 shells in front of my home with a new one on my front door everyday. I also see the holes in the dirt. Don’t expect me to take pictures I am deathly affraid of insects of all kind. The noise is annoying..

Comment by Tiarra T. — July 28, 2005 [AT] 10:38 am

I’ve been hearing the very distinctive sound for several weeks now in nothern Virginia. Thought sure it was cicadas. I believe we have them in large numbers. Last night, the cat brought one in the house. We were able to get it out, but there is no mistaking that it was a cicada.

Comment by Dawn W — July 23, 2005 [AT] 7:28 am

A brood has emerged in Central Texas, the top of the bug looks like the face of a grasshopper, smiling. I guessed it was a cicada, heard about it, never saw it. Recently we have been seeing bizarre looking bug shells around the home, now I know what it was. Our kid spotted it clinging from it’s recently hatched shell on our screen. They sure are not scared, didn’t fly away and moved pretty slowly when nudged. No wonder they are hard to see. Ours was a light green with transparent wings that were brown tiped, so it blends in WELL witht the tree. The nymph phase seems to be universal looking ashy brown/tan. We are in Copperas Cove, TX, north of Austin.

Comment by James G — July 22, 2005 [AT] 8:43 am

I LIVE IN ENOREE, SC, IT’S JULY 20TH. I WAS SITTING OUTSIDE AROUND 11:30 PM AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A GREEN BUG ATTACKING ANOTHER BROWN BUG. LOOKED CLOSER AND WAS AMAZED!!! IT WAS A CICADA EMERGING!!! I SAT AND WATCHED FOR WHAT SEEMED AN ETERNITY. ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES LATER A BEAUTIFUL, LONG WINGED CREATURE APPEARED. I’VE NEVER FELT CLOSER TO NATURE. I’M GOING TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT HAS FLOWN AWAY YET…NOPE…IT’S STILL JUST SITTING THERE ON IT’S OLD SHELL. I MUST GO TO SLEEP NOW.

Comment by Shay C — July 20, 2005 [AT] 9:06 pm

Yeah, yeah. I know I’m late with this.

I’m a PGRC member, and on a Saturday Morining run in late May (the 28th, I believe) I’m certain I heard a lone, Brood-X cicada somewhere in the middle of Greenbelt Park (Greenbelt, MD).

Comment by Tim Holtz — July 18, 2005 [AT] 7:05 pm

Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Wow, we’ve never seen these before but in the last 24 hours we’ve found two of these guy’s (or gals) perched up on the brick wall directly outside the front door. The first one had a very long abdomin, even longer wings, and generally light brown all over.
Today’s find looks much more like the photos we have seen. It has a very large/wide green/brown head, green collar, green and mostly light brown wings, and brown body with a dark stripe going almost the entire lenth of the underside.
What a racket they make! Very interesting.

Comment by James Fyvie — July 14, 2005 [AT] 11:31 am

I live in Perth County (Ontario Canada) and have just heard quite a few in the tree outside my window. It is somewhat soothing to know that they are here again.

Comment by Cathy — July 12, 2005 [AT] 6:35 pm

I heard them a few days ago (just one or two), then silence due to rain and cooler weather here in Bayside, Queens. This mornining was warm and sunny and heard the same one or two once more. Pretty early for these parts I think. I usually do not hear them until mid august. I hope that does not mean they will be plentiful cause I hate them!!

Comment by Mindy — July 10, 2005 [AT] 1:06 pm

Today, while out walking my dogs, I heard the definite music of cicadas. I couldn’t tell you what kind they were as they all sound alike to me.

I’m in northwest Nassau county (Long Island). Has anyone else heard them around here?

Comment by Marilyn — July 9, 2005 [AT] 12:20 pm

It saddens me with the extinction of brood XI. I bet if you looked on old trees you my be able to see the scars from a cicada brood that no longer exists. Perhaps we could have done some sound mapping to see if there where any existing chorusing areas left. Who knows, maybe there is small pockets left.

Comment by Matt — June 29, 2005 [AT] 3:53 pm

I live in Jacksonville, Florida and we are cursed with Cicadas. In Jacksonville they don’t come out every 17 years, 7 years, or 3 years. They show up every year! Their “song” sounds like a high voltage power line. I am not aware of any studies but my guess is Cicadas are a major cause of depression and anxiety. I hate them.

Comment by Randy Ross — June 25, 2005 [AT] 7:01 am

Found a mature female Brood X straggler yesterday (15 June 2005) in Falls Church, VA. We had huge numbers last year, especially on the 50-yr-old maple tree in our yard, but I didn’t realize there would be 1-year stragglers. Haven’t heard any singing in the neighborhood so far.

C

omment by Pete Jennings — June 16, 2005 [AT] 1:57 pm

They are back this year (2005) in Forest Park Ohio! YUCK!! Thankfully not in the same numbers as last year. I estimate I’ve seen about 50 shells in the yard. Thank goodness I haven’t seen any of them flying around. I can hear them in the trees. Last year, I would barely leave the house and when I did, I did it in the evening. Hopefully I will be in a cicada free town before they come out again.

Comment by Linda — June 15, 2005 [AT] 5:09 pm

The search for Brood XI is on. The “lost” brood was located in CT, MA and RI but hasn’t been seen in over 50 years. Unlike the massive Brood X which we all heard about last year, this was a small and vulnerable brood. John Cooley from UConn and I would like to enlist the help of anyone in these three states. Sorry Midwesterners, but any periodical cicadas you see are probably stragglers from Brood X. Especially if you had them in large amounts from the previous year. To fully understand our problem, you have to read the original location descriptions from 50 years ago. Basically, all that is written is a county reference such as “Hartford County.” Street locations, landmarks or any other points of reference just aren’t listed too often or may even have changed. It will be different for the next generation thanks to the GPS, but for now we have some legwork (and cyberwork) to do. Obviously, the best case scenario would be to have a live specimen. But lacking this, we ask if you could please ask your older relatives or friends if they remember anything detailed. Someone might have a journal page or photograph that could really help us hone in on a specific location. Even a memory, as long as it can provide times and locations, would be helpful. It’s already happened to us once, as a farmer was able to direct us to a previous location. (Sadly, there was a construction crew literally starting to build a house on it, but John and I think the cicadas were long gone.)
Counties that had records are Hartford in Connecticut. Bristol, Franklin, and Hampshire in Massachusetts. Providence (near Tiogue Reservoir) in Rhode Island. Brood XI’s expected cycle in the last century was 1988, 1971, 1954, 1937, 1920 and 1903. “No cicada” sightings or “negative records” are helpful from these areas as well. So if you are planning a hike in any of these locations in the next month and don’t see anything, shoot me an email. It may help us to cut down on places we need to search. Thanks for your help.

Mike Neckermann
castle10 [AT] charter.net

Comment by Mike Neckermann — June 10, 2005 [AT] 1:26 am

oh and i just wanted to say that i am in pierre part louisiana wwayyyyy down south about 30 min. southwest of new orleans it was a brite lime green color so fresh very very flimbzy!!!!!!!!!1

Comment by cody leonard — June 7, 2005 [AT] 9:40 pm

i w

i watched one crawl out of its shell tonite june 5 2005 at11.05 at nite
the wings were flopy and soft it climbed up my rocker i was sitting in so i put it on the brick wall and put an aqurium over it took some pics to

Comment by cody leonard — June 7, 2005 [AT] 9:35 pm

At Green Lane Park PA I went to the most popular Magicicada tree from last year. Saw maybe 20 or 30 shells on the ground. I wondered if they were left over from last year’s hatching but my daughter didn’t think shells would last a whole year. So we concluded that these must be Stragglers! I didn’t see any live cicadas though. However, a bit later I began hearing the call of one single Cassini among the trees!

Laura

Comment by Laura Woodswalker — June 5, 2005 [AT] 6:28 pm

I can hear 1 or 2 magicicada cassini singing in my back yard.

Comment by Matt — June 5, 2005 [AT] 7:52 am

Caught another magicicada on the same tree. Thats 3 on one tree. In Loveland Ohio.

Comment by Matt — June 4, 2005 [AT] 4:03 am

found 2 magicicada shells on a tree in Loveland, Ohio.

Comment by Matt — May 30, 2005 [AT] 7:14 pm

Stragglers in Pohatcong Twsp. (Warren County, NJ)! Heard them (decim) today and I was so excited although I would flip if we could actually see them here. Last year I heard a few but only saw large populations a bit South of here in Holland Twsp. Think I will ride down there tomorrow and see if I find any of our little friends buzzing around.

Comment by LPK — May 29, 2005 [AT] 7:21 pm

Great: take a photo and send email it to the site — if you can get a picture of a cicada next to a newspaper (for dating purposes) that would be awesome.

Comment by Administrator — May 29, 2005 [AT] 10:03 am

Hey, I know this sounds unusual but i found 11 magicicada shells on a tree in my grandmas yard in terrace park ohio

Comment by Mat — May 28, 2005 [AT] 11:11 am

Awesome. I’ll let you know (and everyone else) if I hear about anything in Princeton.

Comment by Administrator — May 11, 2005 [AT] 7:32 am

I have a friend in Silver Springs MD which had a fantastic emergence last year. He will be checking for any stragglers this week as warm weather is expected shortly. I may go to Princeton NJ in a couple of weeks myself.

Comment by AJay — May 8, 2005 [AT] 10:18 am

re: why they sing in summer

Date: Wednesday, Apr/27/2005

> If so, does >it mean that they mate only in >Summer? So what do they do in >Winter? — Som, Thailand Som, let’s just say they spend a lot of time “getting in shape” for mating season. — bissel spilkes, town, state

Largest Cicada?

Date: Tuesday, Apr/26/2005

Wow! This message board has been dead for awhile! I would like to know what the largest type cicada in America is. Here in Virginia, We have several species, some of which I don’t know the names of. First ones I hear each summer are the standard T. Pruinosa, always in old-tree neighborhoods. Next to be heard are my favorites, T Lyricen. Near the beginning of the season they are heard near dusk, but as the summer progresses, they’re heard all day. They have the sweetest, mellowist song: It starts like any other tibicen song, a rising buzz, then suddenly it changes to a soft whirring, like a rotating electric motor. A single specimen’s drums often go slightly ‘out-of-sync’, and you hear a harmonic beating in the whirring sound. Next to appear is the ‘morning cicada’, T. Chloromera <-spelled wrong! These are strange looking: VERY flat, wide heads, the most 'classic-looking' Tibicen type, powdered entiry bright white underneath, and with long, bend-down opercula. We also have the 'watch-winder', which looks outwardly like T pruinosa, but has uprasied ridges on the abdomen that meet and seal with the opercula, the chamber. Their song sounds like someone winding a clock. Later in the summer, appears (never very common) T Auletes, which I thought was the biggest. Their song has a hollow, sound, like a chorus of frogs, a long steady whistling drone, with a regular beating 'tocking' sound. These appear around here in old-tree areas, and often sing well after the sun has gone down. Latest cicada in the season, is a very small one, definately a Tibicen, has a very shrill scream that lasts for only 5 or 6 seconds. I've seen these in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where they're more common, but they also appear here in the DC area. Other unknown one that I've caught, have a song like a cross between T. Pruinosa, and T. Lyricens, and these are a bit smaller, similar color like Pruinosa, but have a black stripe down the powdered white underside of the abdomen, and black opercula. What American Cicada is the largest though? Fred -- Fred Berry, Virginia

why they sing in summer

Date: Tuesday, Apr/19/2005

Hi there. I’m fron Thailand and I wonder is it true that cicadas love to “sing” in Summer? If so, does it mean that they mate only in Summer? So what do they do in Winter? — Som, Thailand

Web de entomologia

Date: Tuesday, Mar/15/2005

web de entomologia ——entomology web in spanish http://jlmcsonora.tripod.com — Juan, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, M�xico

More Japanese Cicadas!

Date: Wednesday, Feb/23/2005

These are my favorites! I spent many years studying and collecting them. From tiny ones less than an inch long, to those that are among the largest (and loudest) in the world (listen to a Kuma Semi, their unearthly song travels for miles and stands right out from among the millions of other cicadas singing all around you. In full swing its call sounds like an ominous, inhuman voice, very clearly saying the word ‘HISS’ quickly, over and over again! To this day, no other cicada song impresses me as much! This type and its close and equally huge/loud relative the Yama Semi have tremendous drumheads and exotically shaped opercula. From above they look like giant versions of our dogday cicadas, with very wide heads, but their bodies are polished shiney black with powdered white line behind the drumheads, and covered with sparse golden hairs/dust that easily rubs off. In flight, they are very fast and agile, looking all the world like small birds! Love my semi!! — Fred, Virginia

Howdy

Date: Wednesday, Feb/16/2005

Howdy Dan and all the rest of the cicada watchers! 8>- x — cicada x, In

Leonardo Milhomem – Brasilia, Brazil Cicada Photos

Date: Monday, Feb/14/2005

Quesada Gigas can also be found in the United States. It sings at dusk and has a very interesting sound I would descibe as a tea kettle or a long high pitched whine. The location and time I have personally heard them is mid July at the San Antonio Texas KOA. — Mike, Columbia CT

Categories
Magicicada Periodical Stragglers

Magicicada Straggler Watch 2006

In a few weeks you might see some Magicicada stragglers in areas that saw the Brood X emergence back in 2004. If you see any, let us know.

Update: some exciting news in the comments (before I accidentally deleted the original article):

Our 2006 straggler hunt has been very successful— much more successful than our 2005 Brood XI hunt.

Our group found M. septendecim (XIII), M. tredecassini (XIX), M. tredecim, M. neotredecim, M. tredecassini, and M. tredecula (XXIII), and unidentified nymphal skins, as well as a possible M. cassini (X) straggler— all on a 3-day Midwestern trip. Although most sightings consisted of isolated or small numbers of individuals, two emergences— one at Moody Cemetary in Greene-Sullivan State Forest, Indiana (mostly M. neotredecim), and one at the Vectren Energy plant entrance, near Yankeetown (east of Evansville) IN (mostly M. tredecassini) were substantial enough that there were periods of continuous calling. Not bad for an “off” year!

Complete records will be incorporated into the Magicicada database on Cicada Central as soon as some server issues are solved. If you have records that you’d like to put in the database, send the details (species present, approximate numbers of individuals), the complete locality info (including lat. and lon. if you have it), the date, and your complete name to me at the University of Connecticut (email is just firstname.lastname@uconn.edu).

John Cooley

Cicada Central.

Categories
Magicicada Neotibicen

Four new Roy Troutman Galleries!

Magicicada

We have four new Roy Troutman galleries of restored images from the 1980’s and early 1990’s!

NEW! Roy Troutman’s Cicada Photos. Assorted cicadas photos from the 1980s!

NEW! Roy Troutman’s Cicada Photos. Brood X photos from 1987 and 1988

NEW! Roy Troutman’s Cicada Photos. Brood XIV cicada photos from 1990-91

Categories
Anatomy Eating Cicadas Magicicada

UC Engineering Researchers Find Mercury In Cicadas

I came across this article thanks to Google’s news alerts: UC Engineering Researchers Find Mercury In Cicadas. I’ve never eaten a cicada and I don’t plan on doing so in the future, but a lot of “cicada maniacs” do, so here’s your PSA.

Think twice before you eat one of Cincinnati’s Brood-X cicadas. That’s the warning from researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, who have found surprising levels of mercury in these insects.

Categories
Magicicada Pop Culture Samuel Orr

Return of the 17-Year Cicadas

Return of the 17-Year Cicadas Way back in July a man by the name of Samuel Orr mailed me a DVD trailer of a film he had a part in making called Return of the 17-Year Cicadas. At the time my reaction was “I am simply blown away by its excellence. That might be the best cicada video I’ve seen so far”. Somehow I let it slip through the cracks and I forgot to write about it. In the mean time the movie has won first prize in the Non-Interactive Media category of the 2005 Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge. I’m sure once the film reaches a wider audience — perhaps PBS or the Animal Planet channel (hint! hint!) — it will win more awards.

Read all about the new, award winning cicada documentary Return of the 17-Year Cicadas on the excellent EurekAlert! Science Reporting Alert website. Make sure you download and watch the video too. It is incredible.

Thanks to Roy and Dona for reminding me to post something about this film.