Cicada Mania

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

December 2, 2006

Steel versus the Giant Cicadas

Filed under: Pop Culture — Dan @ 9:48 am

A great moment in comic book history: Steel versus the Giant Cicadas (Absorbascon blog).

Hilarious.

Thanks to Spandex Justice for unearthing this gem.

November 17, 2006

Melanie Chang’s Magicicada Photos

Filed under: Brood X | Magicicada — Dan @ 4:51 am

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

November 14, 2006

The 9 on Yahoo!

Filed under: Pop Culture — Dan @ 10:11 pm

This goes to show how oblivious I am in general: Cicada Mania was featured on The 9 on Yahoo! last week. I watch The 9 on my lunch break, so I don’t know how I missed it. Thanks Yahoo!

the 9

November 12, 2006

Side views of N. pruinosus and M. figuratus

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | Neotibicen | Paul Krombholz | Tibicen — Tags: , — Dan @ 7:06 pm

Tibicen season is officially over in central Mississippi. Here’s some great side view photos from Paul Krombholz.

Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus (Say, 1825):
N. pruinosus

Megatibicen figuratus (Walker, 1858):
M. figurata

Cicadaville

Filed under: Pop Culture — Dan @ 6:54 pm

Back in 2004 there was a cicada humor site called Cicadaville. It was a funny site, for sure, but they drove me crazy because people would believe their “Cicadas kill Save yourself” slogan and then ask me how they could protect themselves.

Here’s an example of their humor:

FACT: Cicadas are vicious killers.

FACT: Cicadas prey on innocent children and pets.

FACT: Cicadas are seething with deadly venom and flesh-eating bacteria.

FACT: This year Cicadas will kill more people than snakes, spiders, scorpions, and sharks combined!

You can still see some of the site via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine and here’s another version (found on 1/20/21). The funny people behind the Cicadaville site have another humor site called Derf Magazine. Check it out.

November 6, 2006

A Quick Thanks

Filed under: Pop Culture — Dan @ 8:53 am

Thanks to Metafilter, Mirth, Musings, & More and Site of the Day for an unexpected burst of visitors. Normally the site is sleeping at this time of year.

November 4, 2006

Jim Kost’s Cicada Photo

Filed under: Neotibicen | Tibicen — Dan @ 11:10 am

Here’s a cicada photo from Jim Kost. I like the black stipe on the beak.

Jim Kosts Cicada photo

October 21, 2006

Superb Neotibicen Photos from Todd Quinn

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | Tibicen — Dan @ 11:26 am

Todd Quinn send us some superb Neoibicen photos. Click the photos below to see huge versions.

Todd Quinn

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This photo is incredible. Check out the detail on the eyes!

Todd Quinn

September 25, 2006

Magicicada Curveball

Filed under: Brood XXIII | Magicicada — Dan @ 8:17 pm

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

Indiana Tibicen

Filed under: Neotibicen | Tibicen — Dan @ 7:37 pm

Catherine M from sent us these photos of a Neotibicen entering the adulthood.

Tibicen

Tibicen

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