Nutrient-pulse
Guides
Magicicada
Periodical Cicadas
Magicicada is a genus of periodical cicadas found in eastern North America, comprising seven species that emerge in synchronized mass events after 13- or 17-year underground development periods. These cicadas are among the longest-lived insects, spending nearly their entire lives as nymphs feeding on tree root xylem before emerging to molt, mate, and die within weeks. The genus is famous for its prime-numbered periodicity, predator satiation strategy, and the formation of distinct geographic broods that emerge on different schedules.