Periodical Cicadas

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Magicicada: //ˌmædʒɪˈsɪkədə//

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Summary

Magicicada, commonly known as periodical cicadas, are notable for their synchronized 13-year and 17-year life cycles, mass emergences, and distinctive songs. They play a significant ecological role while also being of cultural interest due to their historical impacts on communities and their use as human food.

Physical Characteristics

Body is mostly black, red to orangish-red eyes, yellow-orange wing veins. Adults typically 2.4 to 3.3 cm in length, with males being slightly smaller than females.

Identification Tips

Distinctive coloration with recognizable features, including the underside of the abdomen and male courtship song.

Habitat

Deciduous forests in eastern North America.

Distribution

Primarily distributed in eastern states across the Ohio Valley to the Great Plains, with some overlap between 13-year and 17-year cicadas in parts of the Southern and Mississippi Valleys.

Diet

Nymphs feed on xylem fluids from the roots of deciduous forest trees; adults utilize mouthparts to acquire sap from plant stems.

Life Cycle

Nymphs spend approximately 99.5% of their lives underground before emerging synchronously as adults after 13 or 17 years.

Reproduction

Females lay eggs in the stems of woody plants about two months after emerging, with a total of 600 or more eggs deposited over multiple sites.

Predators

Predators include reptiles, birds, squirrels, cats, dogs, and other small and large mammals that feed on the mass-emerging cicadas after they come above ground.

Ecosystem Role

Mass emergence and subsequent die-off provides nutrient pulses to the forest ecosystem; they interact with other species during their life cycle, influencing local food webs.

Economic Impact

Oviposition may damage twigs of woody vegetation, but mature trees rarely suffer lasting damage. Young trees and shrubs can be protected from oviposition damage with mesh netting.

Cultural Significance

Historically noted in Native American cuisine; recognized for their dramatic mass emergences which are significant events in affected local communities.

Health Concerns

Cicadas do not sting or carry diseases but can cause temporary irritation if handled. The oak leaf gall mite can lead to skin reactions in humans following cicada emergence.

Collecting Methods

• Hand collection during adult emergence
• Light traps

Preservation Methods

• Freezing
• Drying
• Taxidermy techniques

Evolution

Evolution of Magicicada is tied to allochronic speciation, resulting from isolation in time leading to reproductive isolation and distinct life cycle adaptations.

Similar Taxa

• Tryella
• Aleeta
• Chrysolasia

Misconceptions

Periodical cicadas are often incorrectly referred to as locusts; true locusts are grasshoppers and belong to a different order (Orthoptera).

Tags

• Magicicada
• Cicadas
• Periodical Cicadas
• Entomology
• Life Cycle
• Ecological Impact