Cicada Mania

Australia

Australia Cicada Websites

Post author By Dan
Post date November 20, 2014
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This is a selection of links to websites dedicated to the cicadas of Australia.

A web guide to the Cicadas of Australia. BY L.W. Popple. Features an abundance of cicada information, photos and maps PHOTOS MAPS AUDIO.
Brisbane Cicadas (brisbaneinsects.com) One of the best Australian cicada sites. Features pages for the following cicadas Brown Bunyip, Razor Grinder, Bladder Cicada, Floury Baker, Thin-striped Wattle Cicada, Small Bottle. Many photos and some audio files. PHOTOS AUDIO
Narelle Power’s Cicada Photos (pbase.com) About a dozen photos, including Cicadetta oldfieldi (Wattle), Tamasa tristigma (Brown Bunyip), Psaltoda harrisii (Yellow Belly). PHOTOS
Scribbly Gum’s The Summer of Signing Cicadas (abc.net.au) Many beautiful photos and fantastic information. PHOTOS MAPS
Morwell National Park Online (morwellnp.pangaean.net) Photos of Cicadetta abdominalis/Grasshopper firetail, Cicadetta denisoni/Black firetail, Cyclochila australasiae/Greengrocer, Pauropsalta rubristrigata/Great montane squeaker. PHOTOS
AusEmade Cicada (ausemade.com.au) An abundance of cicada information including photos and a chart that tells you where you can find cicadas by scientific and common names. PHOTOS

Magicicada cassini singing on hand

Post author By Dan
Post date November 20, 2014
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From Roy Troutman: “I shot a video back in 1991 of a 17 year Magicicada cassini singing right on my hand.”

Magicicada cassini singing on hand from Roy Troutman.

Tags M. cassini

Anatomy Magicicada Roy Troutman

The excavation skills of cicadas

Post author By Dan
Post date November 20, 2014
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Cicadas spend most of their lives, as nymphs, underground. The large forelegs of cicada nymphs are adapted to digging through soil.

cicada foreleg
Image from The Periodical Cicada: An Account of Cicada Septendecim, Its Natural Enemies and the Means of Preventing Its Injury by C.L. Marlatt. 1898.

These videos demonstrate Magicicada nymphs digging through soil.

Magicicada nymph excavating tunnel by Roy

This magicicada nymph is excavating a make shift tunnel sandwiched between two pieces of plexiglass.:

Magicicada nymph emerging from burrow by Roy

Magicicada nymph emerging from burrow from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

Eye Color Magicicada Periodical Roy Troutman Video

White eyed magicicada by Roy Troutman

Post author By Dan
Post date November 20, 2014
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Here is a video of a rare white eyed magicicada. This is from a gene mutation that strepps the color from the cicadas eyes & also wings to some extent.

White eyed magicicada from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

Nymphs Roy Troutman Tibicen Video

Watch a Tibicen nymph emerge from the ground

Post author By Dan
Post date November 20, 2014
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This video by Roy Troutman shows a Tibicen cicada nymph emerge from the ground.

Annual cicada nymph emerging from burrow. from Roy Troutman.

Anatomy Roy Troutman Tibicen Video

A Tibicen cicada breathing

Post author By Dan
Post date November 20, 2014
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Cicadas breathe through apertures along the side of their body called spiracles. This video of a Tibicen by Roy Troutman shows the opening and closing of a spiracle.

Adult Cicada breathing from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

FAQs Magicicada Massospora Matt Kasson

Which fungus attacks Magicicadas? Massospora cicadina

Post author By Dan
Post date November 19, 2014
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The fungus Massospora cicadina preys on Magicicadas cicadas. This is particularly interesting because the fungus is able to prey upon them in spite of their long 17 year life cycle (apparently fungi are not phased by prime numbers).

When the fungus destroys the abdomen of male cicadas, they will behave like female cicadas and flick their wings in response to the songs of male cicadas, and attempt to mate with other males.

A photo by Roy Troutman from Brood XIV (2008):

Magicicada with Massospora. Roy Troutman. Brood XIV.

Two photos by Dan Mozgai from Brood II (2013):

Male Magicicada septendecim infected with Massospora cicadina fungus

Magicicada septendecim with Massosporan fungus found at the Edison Memorial Tower Park in Edison NJ

Magicicada fungus (massospora cicadina)

magicicada fungus (massospora cicadina) from Roy Troutman on Vimeo.

New from 2017: the Massospora cicadina viewed under a microscope.

Examining & measuring #Massospora spores for #MSA2017 in GA. Here's M. cicadina resting spores (#BroodVI, 2017). #fungi @MSAFungi @zygolife pic.twitter.com/b78R9VwDgP

— Matt Kasson (@kasson_wvu) July 12, 2017

Audio, Sounds, Songs Brood II Magicicada Periodical Video

Magicicada cassini calls, chorusing & responses to finger snaps

Post author By Dan
Post date November 19, 2014
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During the Brood II emergence in 2013, Elias Bonaros, Roy Troutman and I spent some time experimenting with coercing male Magicicada to call in response to finger snaps, which mimic the snap of a female cicada’s wings. This trick works fairly well with Magicicada, and can quickly be mastered once you work out the timing. Fingers, wall switches, and the zoom button on my Sony video camera do a good job at mimicking the snap of a females wings.

Magicicada cassini responding to fingersnaps

Magicicada cassini responding to fingersnaps from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

I also recorded their calls in terms of decibels to see just how loud they could get. They can get very loud, but not as loud as a rock concert (see this db chart).

Magicicada cassini calling at 109db in Colonia NJ

Magicicada cassini calling at 109db in Colonia NJ from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Magicicada cassini chorusing center peaking at 85db

Magicicada cassini chorusing center peaking at 85db from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Tags M. cassini

Brood II Magicicada Ovipositing Periodical Video

Video of Magicicada septendecula from Brood II

Post author By Dan
Post date November 19, 2014
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Here are two videos of Magicicada septendecula from Brood II.

Female Magicicada septendecula

Magicicada septendecula from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

A female Magicicada septendecula ovipositing

A female Magicicada septendecula ovipositing from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.

Tags M. septendecula

FAQs

Where can I buy cicadas online?

Post author By Dan
Post date November 16, 2014
5 Comments on Where can I buy cicadas online?

People ask, where can I buy cicadas online?

There are a lot of places, but here are my favorites:

BicBugs has a wide variety of cicadas.
BioQuipBugs. BioQuipBugs has a wide variety of species from Africa, Asia, North and South America. The specimens are also unmounted, but you can pay extra to have them mounted.
Ebay.com. eBay is a good place to find cicada specimens, particularly if you are just starting your collection. Colorful Asian species dominate the species for sale, but you will usually find American species during or after a periodical cicada emergence (when those are plentiful). Most specimens you’ll find on eBay are mounted, but you can find unmounted specimens as well.
God of Insects. The God of Insects site has been around for a long time. You’ll find mostly Asian species, which are the most collectible because of their beauty.

Search around the web. You might find other shops and different varieties of cicadas not found on the sites mentioned above.

Keep in mind that some species might be over-collected to the point where it could endanger a species. I recommend, for that reason, that people limit their collections and not become too obsessed, as one might who collects toys or comic books.