08/26/2026
Wild Wednesday- Cicadas
During the summer, we are inundated with the sounds of insects. Crickets, katydids, and especially cicadas serenade us in the summer evenings. Although many people hear them and know of cicadas, there is also a lot of misunderstanding about these interesting insects.
Cicadas are members of the hemiptera, or "true bug" order of insects. This group contains other bugs such as assassin bugs, stink bugs, aphids, and shield bugs. Like all hemipterans, they go through incomplete metamorphosis, meaning they begin life as an egg that hatches into a nymph, which looks similar to adults, though are usually smaller and lack wings. Cicada nymphs live underground and drink sap from the roots of trees and other large plants. After anywhere between 1 and 20 years of sap sipping in the dirt, these nymphs climb the nearest stem or trunk and molt their shell into their adult form. As adults, they have 4 large, clear wings that allow them to fly around. Adult cicadas also drink plant sap with sucking mouthparts. Males make their characteristic sounds through organs called tymbals that rub or stridulate against each other to make sounds. This action is similar to rubbing a washboard. Cicadas spend the vast majority of their lives underground in the nymph stage, and adults are only active for a few weeks in the summer. Generally emerging in May-June and all dying out by July-August. Eggs usually hatch the summer they are laid, and nymphs immediately crawl underground to begin their lives.
Although cicadas can be found worldwide, the species in the genus Magicicada in eastern North America are famous for their unique life habits. All other cicadas are annual cicadas, with some individuals emerging each year. These are usually larger species. Magicicada are periodic cicadas. These species coordinate their emergence with the other individuals near them. Depending on species and location, these cicadas will all emerge at once every 13 or 17 years. Nearby groups on the same "timer" are considered a brood and are regularly tracked by entomologists. These tend to be smaller individuals and appear in much larger numbers than annual cicadas.
