Cicada Mania

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

May 5, 2011

The Legendary Lucky Cicada Keychain

Filed under: Cicada Mania | Lucky Cicada Key Chain | Pop Culture | Video — Dan @ 4:22 am

Thee Legendary Lucky Cicada Keychain from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Update (5/2011): I finally found one of these keychains, but I’m going to keep looking for more. Plus we have, Cicada Keychain Parts, Packaging scans from Ben, Packages and images found by Roy, and a scan from an Archie McPhee catalog from Suzanne M.

Once or twice a year someone e-mails Cicada Mania asking if we know where to
find the cicada keychain — you know, “the one that buzzes”. Although there
are many keychains which feature
cicadas (e.g. trapped in amber),
I’ve never found the cicada keychain online.

I haven’t found these in stores since Clinton was in office. Back in the day,
you could find them in mall stores like “The Nature Company”, “The Science Nook”
and “The Planet Store”. Once, in the late 90’s I asked the manager of one of these
stores about the these
keychains and she said: “we don’t carry them any more, the last batch was defective”.
She seemed angry that I even asked her about them. I wish I knew more. Maybe these
stores lost so much money because of these defective key chains that they all went
out of business? Or maybe they didn’t sell enough whale song CDs, glow-in-the-dark
moon stickers, or mystical crystals to pay the rent?

I’ve spent way too much time looking for these keychain online, and I’ve
pretty much given up hope.

  • I’ve searched numerous online stores that specialize in novelties and keychains.
  • I’ve e-mailed these stores requesting that they stock these keychains — but I get no response.
  • I’ve searched ebay.
  • I’ve spend hours doing Google searches.

There are two problems with searching for stuff like this online:

  1. Search engines have a hard time indexing online stores (for technical reasons
    I won’t waste your time with), and…
  2. Who knows how people would describe these things?
    Are they keychains, key chains, keyrings, or key rings? Are they cicadas, locusts,
    insects or bugs? Do they buzz, chirp, scream, or beep?

While searching for cicada keychain:

Online stores I’ve searched include:

Update: I recently tried to get the CEO of Archie McPhee to reintroduce this product:

January 11, 2011

Greek Entomythology by Artemis Ippotis

Filed under: Books | Pop Culture — Dan @ 9:55 pm

Here’s something fun for fans of entomology, Greek mythology and creativity: Greek Entomythology by Artemis Ippotis. Artemis (Diana Knight) has created a fun and whimsical book that tells Greek myths using photos of insects. The book is truly one of a kind! Artemis is also planing on offering the book as an iPad/iPhone app.

If you’re interesting in obtaining the book, write Diana at:

Diana Knight
The Manor,
Barton Mills,
Suffolk IP 28 6BL
UK

The book features some of my Tibicen photos. I laughed out loud when I saw the Tibicen playing a lyre.

Greek Entomythology by Artemis Ippotis

New, here’s a video promo for the book:

December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas

Filed under: Christmas | Cicada Arts | Pop Culture — Dan @ 3:23 pm

Christmas gives me a chance to use this image of a (cartoon) cicada nymph drinking the fluids of a Christmas tree.

December 19, 2010

Cicada Stamps

Filed under: Stamps — Dan @ 8:10 pm

Here’s some cicada stamps from around the world (with some other animals mixed in):

Cicada stamp from France

Cicada stramps from around the world

August 7, 2010

The keychain saga continues

Filed under: Lucky Cicada Key Chain | Toys and Amusements — Dan @ 7:05 am

Thanks for Suzanne M for the scan of the Archie McPhee catalog featuring the amazing cicada keychain.

Lucky Cicada Toy Advert

I actually finally found one of these thanks to a family member.

June 6, 2010

Lucky Cicada Keychain packaging

Filed under: Lucky Cicada Key Chain | Toys and Amusements — Dan @ 8:51 am

Ben from Quebec emailed us photos of the packaging for the Lucky Cicada Keychain (Toy, Keyring).

Hello,
Here a picture of my toy cicada package. I bought it at Discovery Island (now closed), a former small theme park of Walt Disney World back in 1993.
Ben (QC)

Lucky Cicada

Lucky Cicada

January 11, 2010

Mutant cicadas enjoying a Mongolian Hot Pot dinner

Filed under: Cicada Arts | Pop Culture — Dan @ 8:28 pm

This whimsical display of dismembered and “reassembled” cicadas enjoying a Mongolian Hot Pot dinner can be yours! It’s for sale on ebay!

cicadadisplay

Awesome!

July 20, 2009

Cool Cicada Tattoo

Filed under: Pop Culture | Tattoos — Dan @ 8:02 pm

Cicadas are cool, and tattoos can be pretty cool too. Take a took at Sandy Herder’s new cicada tattoo. Awesome.

July 5, 2009

Life in the Undergrowth

Filed under: Magicicada | Pop Culture | Video — Dan @ 10:02 am

I just finished watching the BBC mini-series Life in the Undergrowth staring several million invertebrates and David Attenborough. (I watched it in between the picnics, fireworks, and swimming that mostly occupies my time.) Fans of cicadas and land-dwelling invertebrates will love this show. Attenborough is the best when it comes to explaining the natural world to TV viewers.

BBC thoughtfully put the segment of the show about 17 year cicadas on YouTube.

I like the bit when he lures the male around by imitating the wing flicks of females.

You can buy it in the usual places, or rent it of course.

May 31, 2009

Magicicada photos from Sandy Aiello

Filed under: Brood II | Magicicada | Pop Culture — Dan @ 8:29 am

Sandy Aiello was kind enough to let us post some of her Magicicada photos on Cicadamania:

Magicicada photos from Sandy Aiello

Magicicada photo from Sandy Aiello

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