Cicadas

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cicadoidea: /sɪˈkædoʊɪdiə/

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Summary

Cicadas are a diverse superfamily of insects known for their loud mating calls, distinctive life cycles, and role in both ecosystems and human culture. They have complex reproduction strategies, with periodic emergences impacting both prey dynamics and the environment.

Physical Characteristics

Cicadas are large insects with three joints in their tarsi, small antennae with conical bases and three to six segments, and prominent compound eyes set wide apart. They have a long, sharp rostrum for feeding, and their wings can be hyaline, cloudy, or pigmented. The largest species, the empress cicada (Megapomponia imperatoria), can have a wingspan of up to 20 cm (8 in).

Identification Tips

Cicadas are characterized by their loud calls produced by tymbals, their prominent eyes, and the presence of three small ocelli on the head. The surface of the forewings is superhydrophobic, and wing venation can assist in species identification.

Habitat

Cicadas typically inhabit trees and feed on the sap from xylem tissue. They are found in a variety of environments, including temperate to tropical climates, forests, and urban areas.

Distribution

Cicadas are found worldwide, with significant diversity in tropical regions. Approximately 3,000 species have been described, with high endemism in places like Australia and New Zealand.

Diet

Cicada nymphs feed by drinking xylem sap from various tree species, including oak, cypress, willow, and maple. Adult cicadas also consume plant sap using their sucking mouthparts.

Life Cycle

Most cicadas undergo a life cycle lasting 2 to 5 years; however, some North American periodical cicadas (genus Magicicada) have life cycles of 13 or 17 years. Nymphs live underground for most of their lives before emerging as adults.

Reproduction

Female cicadas deposit eggs by cutting slits in the bark of twigs. Males attract females with their calls. Both sexes typically die shortly after the adult emergence process is complete.

Predators

Cicadas are preyed upon by birds, bats, wasps, mantises, spiders, and robber flies. In mass emergence years, various amphibians, fish, reptiles, and mammals change their foraging habits to exploit the abundance of cicadas.

Ecosystem Role

Cicadas play a role in the ecosystem as herbivores that feed on sap, and in turn, they serve as a food source for numerous predators. Their periodic emergences can have significant ecological impacts.

Economic Impact

While they are not major agricultural pests, some cicadas can cause damage to young trees and crops during mass emergence events, particularly through egg-laying activities.

Cultural Significance

Cicadas have been featured in literature since ancient times, often representing carefree living, immortality, and are used in various cultural motifs. They are consumed in several regions and have various symbolic meanings across cultures.

Health Concerns

Cicadas do not bite or sting, but their loud calls can cause hearing damage when in close proximity. They may occasionally mistake human limbs for plants and attempt to feed, though they do not cause significant harm.

Collecting Methods

• Netting adults
• Baiting with music or calls
• Light traps for nocturnal species

Preservation Methods

• Drying
• Freezing
• Ethanol storage

Evolution

Cicadas appeared early in the fossil record, with some lineages diverging as far back as the Jurassic period. Their unique calls and life cycles have evolved in response to predation and environmental factors.

Similar Taxa

• Cercopoidea (froghoppers)
• Membracidae (treehoppers)

Misconceptions

A common misconception is that adults do not eat; however, cicadas drink sap from plants as adults. Their loud calls are often thought to be solely for mating purposes, but they also serve other social functions.

Tags

• Cicadas
• Pest Management
• Folklore
• Ecosystem Dynamics