Cicada Skin (exuvia, molts, “shells”) Lamps by Gaye Williams.
Photos & Illustrations of cicadas.
February 28, 2020
Magicicada Photos by Gwen Elferdink from Brood X, 2004
17-year Magicicada Photos by Gwen Elferdink from Brood X 2004.
June 17, 2013
Jean-Francois Duval’s Cicada Photos from Connecticut
Jean-Francois Duval of Victoriaville, Québec wrote me back on April 15th looking for advice for where and when to observe the 2013 Brood II emergence. Where is easier than when. I recommended a park in Connecticut (closest state to Victoriaville, Québec) that is known to have Brood II cicadas. When was more difficult this year because of a cold and rainy spring; cold and rain delay emergences or make them difficult to appreaciate.
I’m happy to say Jean-Francois made it to Connecticut at the right time to see the cicadas. Here is a selection of his photos.
June 8, 2013
Roy Troutman’s 2013 Brood II cicada photos
When Roy Troutman visited New Jersey last week he took a lot of great cicada photos. Here is a sample of the best.
Click these photos to see larger versions of the photos:
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- Teneral Magicada by Roy Troutman
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- Roy Troutman, John Cooley, Ed Johnson and Dan Mozgai
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- Roy Troutman and Elias Bonaros at the Periodical Cicada display at the American Museum of Natural History by Michelle Troutman
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- Mustard eyed Magicicada septendecim by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada with exuvia by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada mating by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada septendecim mating by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada staring at you by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada undergoing ecdysis by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada with Exuvia by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada exuvia by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada corpses and exuvia by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada cassini in flight in Colonia NJ by Roy Troutman
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- Magicicada cassini flying inbetween calling in Colonia NJ by Roy Troutman
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- M septendecim by Roy Troutman
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- Crippled Magicicada by Roy Troutman
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- Dan Mozgai, Roy Troutman and Elias Bonaros at the Staten Island Museum by Michelle Troutman
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- Elias Bonaros in the Manhattan Subway new a Cicada Tile Mosaic
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- John Cooley and Ed Johnson speaking at the Staten Island Museum Six Legged Sex event by Roy Troutman
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- Light Up Cicada Sculpture at the Staten Island Museum by Roy Troutman
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- Cicada Timeline at the Staten Island Museum by Roy Troutman
Brood II Magicicada photos from Montclair, NJ
Enjoy these photos of Brood II Magicicada from Montclair, NJ by Claudine Ohayon.
Click each image thumbnail for larger versions:
Brood II Magicicada photos from Scotch Plains, NJ
Enjoy these Brood II Magicicada photos from Scotch Plans, NJ from Judy Lanfredi.
Click each thumbnail image for larger versions.
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- Magicicada on an iris flower in Scotch Plains by Judy Lanfredi
May 19, 2013
Tips for photographing adult Magicicadas for identification purposes
When photographing adult Magicicadas, particularly if you are interested in identifying their species and gender, it is important to photograph them from multiple angles: ventral (bottom) and lateral (left or right) particularly near the head. Please take photos of the dorsal (top), anterior (front), posterior (hind) and other angles, however ventral and left or right are the best sides to help identify the species.
We also encourage you to clean your fingernails and include an item which can be used to determine the size of the insect, like a ruler.
The ventral view allows us to determine the species and sex.
The following photo features a male (left) and female (right) Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus, 1758). Note the orange striped abdomen, characteristic of the M. septendecim. Also, as with other cicada species, note that the female’s abdomen comes to a point, and the male’s abdomen is thicker and ends with a “blocky-shaped” structure. 
The following photo features a female (left) and male (right) Magicicada cassini (Fisher, 1851). Note the lack of distinct orange stripes on the abdomen, characteristic of the M. cassini. Their abdomens are nearly completely black. Also note that the female’s abdomen comes to a point, and the male’s abdomen is thicker and ends with a “blocky-shaped” structure. 
Both these images were taken by the same photographer (Osamu Hikino) and we can use the size of his fingertips (nice clean nails) to compare the size of these two species. The M. cassini is relatively much smaller than the M. septendecim, which is why M. cassini is also known as the “dwarf cicada”.
I don’t have a good photo of the third species, the Magicicada septendecula Alexander and Moore, 1962 [view a photo of M. septendecula on another website]. The M. septendecula is similar to the M. cassini in size (hence smaller than the M. septendecula), but it has orange stripes like the M. septendecim, which is why it is important to get a photo of the left or right side of the insect so we can see the color of the pronotal extension.
The pronotal extension is an extension of the pronotum that lies between the Magicicada’s eye and its wing (outlined in green in the photo below). M. septendecim have orange coloring in that area, which gives us a key way to visually distinguish them from M. septendecula.
If you want to learn more about diagnosing the species and gender of cicadas (all species, not just Magicicada sp.) using photographs, track down the document Overview of Cicada Morphology by Allen F. Sanborn of Barry University.
I don’t want to discourage you from taking amazing photos of cicadas in every position and angle possible using all your fancy macro lenses and whatnot. All cicada photos are awesome, but only a few angles help us identify the insect.
May 18, 2013
Brood II cicada photos from Iselin, NJ
My friend Nicole DiMaggio sent us these photos of adult Magicicadas taken in Iselin NJ. The emergence is just getting started in New Jersey, and will really kick off next Tuesday when the temps hit the 80s.
Photos of Brood II Magicicada cicadas from Westfield, NJ by Jim Occi
These photos of adult Magicicada cicadas were taken in Westfield, NJ by Jim Occi on May 16th.
This photo is particularly interesting as the cicadas’s wings were damaged during the ecdysis (molting) process and its tymbal (the ribbed structure that makes the cicada’s sound) is clearly exposed:
Brood II cicada photos from Front Royal, Va
Nature photographer Candice Trimble of Front Royal, Va, sent us these Brood II Magicicada photos.
An adult Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus 1758):
Magicicada exuvia (shell):
Magicicada adult (probably an M. septendecim):
