Cicada and Cicada Killers Reports From New England and The United States
Below are just some of the readers who have submitted information and pictures on Annual Cicada and Cicada Killer sightings. Want your report to be seen here? Then fill in our new Cicada or Cicada Killer Report Form by clicking here or the link under the "Report Cicadas" section of the navigation menu to the left.
Report Brood XIII Cicada Activity
If you are from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan or Wisconsin, be sure to write in and give us some reports on the Periodical Cicada emergence. You will be transfered to our online form where you will be able to even your pictures in one easy step.
Below are the User-Submitted Cicada Reports for June 2007
06/26/07 - Webpage experiment video
Hi, Gerry,
Love your website. I couldn't get the experiment video to run. Does this mean someone's put a lid on your ability to disclose video details? I was just wondering if any cicadas were harmed in the experiments.
Also, I am curious about something ... I don't know if this is something you know, but thought I'd give it a shot. When cicadas lay eggs in tree twigs and subsequently the twigs brown out and fall off the tree, will the eggs survive and hatch? I haven't mowed my lawn since the magicicadas emerged and now I am reluctant to pick up and bag up the fallen branch bits if it means viable cicada young 'uns will be snuffed out. I read in Gene Kritsky's book that the eggs take about 5 weeks to hatch. I imagine the little bugs would be unharmed by mowing if they go right down to earthlevel.
Can you recommend additional reading on cicada behavior? I am so going to miss these creatures when they're gone.
Thank you,
Jennifer
Hi Jenny
To be honest, I took the video down so that I could get clearance from the researchers. I don't want to get them upset. There are future experiments that I would like to be a part of next year that the Navy will be conducting when Brood XIV makes its appearance. So I want clarification of exactly what I can and cannot show on my website.
The cicadas were not harmed and were released once the experiments were completed.
Periodical Cicada females love to lay their eggs in live branches, only problem is, many of the females like to lay their eggs in the same branches. This puts too much stress on the branches with the eggs in them so that the tips of them turn brown and die.
It is said that when the branches turn brown and die, the eggs in them also die. (But I'm not so sure). I think it would be safe to pick up the branches on your lawn and drop them in the woods if they're close by.
I have attached a link for you which discusses all the broods that are known to appear in Illinois.
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/highlights/periodicalCicada.html
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/26/07 - Cicadas in Massachusetts? - Part 2
HI -
I have another question for you. Do you know when the
17 year cicadas will be in Iowa and what parts of Iowa
they may be in? Thanks!
Hi Ellen
The periodical cicadas are currently in the eastern part of Iowa right now. I was was in Iowa mapping the emergence. These cicadas are from Brood XIII. Click the link below to see a distribution map of Brood XIII periodical cicadas. They are probably almost gone though and won't be back till 2024.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2007/5-2/periodic.html
Iowa also experiences the emergence of another brood of periodical cicadas from Brood III. These last emerged there in 1997. They are due to reappear in 2014. Below is another link for you for this brood.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1997/5-9-1997/17yrcicada.html
Next year will be Brood XIV which is a fairly large brood and covers a lot of states. So if you missed them this year you still have a chance to catch them in another state close by. Click Here For More Info
Hope this helps.
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/25/07 - Cicadas in Massachusetts? - Part 1
Hi there-
I was just wondering when the next year is that the
cicadas are supposed to come out in Massachusetts.
Can you let me know?
Thanks!
Hi Ellen
Thanks for your email. Massachusetts has cicadas that come out every year these are called "Annual Cicadas".
If you are referring to the cicadas that come out only once every 17 years, those are known as Periodical Cicadas. Massachusetts will experience those only in Plymouth and Barnstable Counties next year probably beginning in June but they will only be around for a few weeks then they will die and not reapear for another 17 years.
If you have any other questions feel free to ask.
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/24/07 - No Cicadas In Southern Michigan?
No Cicadas in Southern Michigan?
I'm sure that if you would research the Adrian Daily Telegram archives, at the Lenawee County Library, in Adrian, Michigan, you would find Cicada reports....
I was born in 1926 and lived in Jasper, Michigan until 1961.....I remember hearing the Cicadas as a child....1939?..........
I specifically remember hearing them east of the intersection of M52 and Gorman Road, just north of Fairfield, Michigan. If it is the same cycle, it would have been in 1956. I commuted from Jasper to Adrian, Michigan during that time...
Mr. Dowling,
Thank you very much for your email message. If you are referring to the most recent Chicago Tribune Article, I'm afraid that they just were not specific enough when I indicated that there were no periodical cicadas in Michigan.
Of course, I was referring to the Brood XIII periodical cicadas. I spent two days in Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana and I could not find a single periodical cicada.
Michican does have another Brood known as "Brood X" their last appearance was in 2004. According to the latest distribution maps the towns that you mention in your email are covered by Brood X.
Brood X appeared in 1987, 1970, 1953, 1936 and 1919.
However, just to be sure of the dates you indicate, I think it would be important to do as you suggest and contact the Lenawee County Library to see what they have.
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/17/07 - How Long Have Magicicadas Been Around? - Part 2
thanks, that is a great answer. and, what an interesting phenomenon, predator satiation. Reminds me of the Peggy Lee song, 'Is that all there is?' (sung by a 'blue' heron, I guess :) )
so thousands of years as in 50 thousand years? Or since the last ice age - when was that?
Another question on the 17 yr magicadas - what is the domain where they appear in the world?
mike
Mike,
I think it is along the line of like 100's of thousands of years as it takes evolution a long time to get the magicicadas to this point. Who knows, maybe in a few 100,000 more years they will be doing things differently then. Even us Humans may be different as well.
As to your question of where do they fit in the domain of the world. If you mean their taxonomic hierarchy it is below:
Fauna-->Arthropoda-->Insecta-->Homoptera-->Cicadidae-->Magicicada
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/15/07 - How Long Have Magicicadas Been Around? - part 1
Do we have a rough idea of how long the magicicada (found in northern
illinois) has been around doing this 17 years cycle of birth , life ,
and and death?
I live in a suburb of chicago called riverside where there are tons of
them and they are absolutely fascinating!
thanks
mike
Hi Mike
I just sent in the approval to the Magicicada group. You should see it come through soon. You can then post as you wish. Welcome to the group!!
With regards to your question. Magicicadas have been around for many thousands of years and have developed this method of continuing their species by over whelming the local predator populations through their sheer numbers.
That is, when Magicicadas first emerge, predators like birds, dogs, cats, moles and other insects will prey on the Magicicadas for about a week. They will eat and eat and eat more and more of them until a point known as "predator satiation" is reached. That is, those predators that were eating the Magicicadas just don't want to eat them any more because they are sick of eating the same thing. (Yes this happens)
Thus whatever amount of Magicicadas are left, live to reproduce and continue the brood for another 17 years.
Hope that helps and again, welcome to our group.
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/13/07 - Why Do Cicadas Pee in Groups?
Dear Dr.Jerry Bunker
really wonderful website to get to know about cicada. I am a botanist from southern India and always get amused with Cicada's song and their clumsy flights. Also I used to laugh after their frantic cry! when they are chased by birds in the canopy.
Interestingly I keep seeing them spraying water from their anus like a jet during summer. Hundreds of them congregate on a particular tree and have this ritual for more than a week. Will you please let me know more in detail about the purpose of jetting out the water. I have seen this behaviour in butterflies sitting on wet sands in river beds. My colleague who works on butterfly conservation told me that they suck the water to extract minerals and jets out the water. Also it seems that it cools the body temperature of butterflies.
Your rich experience can really enrich my interest about cicadas. Your help will be highly appreciated.
thank you very much
warm regards
R.Ganesan
rganesan@atree.org
Fellow, Sehgal Centre for Conservation Science,
Ashoka Trust for Reserach in Ecology & Environment (ATREE)
659, 5th A Main, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bangalore 560 024
India.
Mr. Ganesan
Thank you for your email. Yes, I am aware that cicadas "expel water" from their anus. I have witnessed this many times in the past. I even saw a video last year which I think was taken in Thailand where the cicadas all come together in trees just as you described and pee.
However, while I'm not 100% sure, I don't think that is the reason why they come together. Some male cicadas like to come together to set up singing aggregations in trees in order to attract the females and peeing may just be an interesting byproduct of that behavior. You are correct also that when cicadas feed, they take in a water and mineral solution from the plants they feed on which is believed to help in thermo-regulation.
I will see if I can dig up any more concrete information for you.
Best Regards
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/13/07 - Cicada or Cicada Killer Sighting - Part 2
Hi Gerry,
I will try to get a photo but am doubtful. We are hearing its “call” today and it is still in our aspen tree. It is being answered from the neighbor’s yard. We will try! My girls, ages 7, 4 and almost 2 are really excited about it.
Thanks,
Ginny
Thanks Ginny
Please keep my website address because I am about to do much more in the way of updates with tons of pictures and movies. I just got back from my trip to the Midwest studying the Brood XIII Magicicada emergence.
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/11/07 - Cicada or Cicada Killer Sighting - Part 1
I was so happy to find this little guy as I never thought I would see a cicada in Jackson Hole ! It was small, about 1" total length including wings. It was mostly black with orange "highlights". Very different from the big, green cicadas I grew up with in K ansas . I found it on the pavement under a willow tree. Hope the info is helpful.
Hi Ginny
Thanks for the information. Is there any way you could possibly get a photo of the cicada? I would be interested in seeing it. Being that small sounds like it may be a Platypedia species of cicada.
You are actually the second person in as many days that has emailed me with cicada information from Wyoming.
Thanks again.
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/08/07 - Cicada Sighting in Seminoe Mountains, Wyoming
Email: gshiatt@yahoo.com
First Name: Greg
Last Name: Hiatt
State: Wyoming
County: Carbon
Town: Seminoe mountains
Street:
Date of Sighting: 6 June 2007
Outside Temperature: ~65-70 F
Time of Day: 14:45
North Coordinate: 4670845
West Coordinate: 341700
File Name: cicada20070606a.jpg
Comments: UTM coordinates, NAD 83, Zone 13. Heard a couple other cicadas nearby, in sagebrush/pine community at 7400 feet.
Hi Greg
Thanks very much for the photo and the information. Your specimen is definately Okanagana species but I'm unsure if it is rimosa or canadensis as I recognize the pattern on the meso-thorax as distinct to both.
I will have to check my records to see which is known to be there in Wyoming.
Again, thanks for the information, it sure does help!
Currently I'm in Iowa mapping the western edge of Brood XIII. There's nothing like a Magicicada emergence! Best Regards,
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http:/www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/07/07 - Great Cicada Info Page!!
my friend is in chicago area, and she wants to know how to pack them for sending in the mail , how to keep them from rotting etc. wht should she pack the carcasses in. and the dead ones ( full body ).
why is the blue-eyed kind so collectible?
thankyou for having your very informative site!!!
kuniyuki
Hi Kuniyuki
Thanks for your email. The first thing you should have her do is to make sure the cicadas are thoroughly dried out before shipping them or else when they get to the other end (whereever they are going) whomever opens them up will get an awful smell as the fluids will have leaked in the box.
The best way to send cicadas would be to wrap them in paper towels. DO NOT use cotton swabs!
The blue eyed cicada is very rare it only occurs in nature probably one in a few hundred thousand.
Check out my latest update and I hope you enjoy the web site.
Gerry Bunker
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
06/04/07 - Cicada Page: Homewood, Illinois
I saw on your website that you recently came to Chicago and I must say I send my heartfelt condolences that you had to drive on the Dan Ryan in Rush Hour!!! Ha! They are doing a HUGE construction project and The City of Chicago has told everyone to avoid it if they can. Anyhoo, the Cicadas are very prominent in Homewood and Flossmoor, Ill. this year. They are south suburbs of Chicago (About 50 miles south of downtown Chicago) One of my close friends' backyard is SWARMING with cicadas. I'm thinking it is because they have lots of old trees and constantly do gardening which keeps the soil nice and soft. I attached some good pictures I took of the cicadas in her backyard. They are so loud and so many that the noise was actually hurting my ears! I couldn't believe it! It was neat to see so many though.
Alison
Hello Allison
First off, my sincerest apologies for the lateness in my response. I am just getting to my email because I was very busy for the month of june. As you know from reading my web site I was in Chicago around the second week of May looking for early emergence signs of the Periodical Cicadas.
Well, I went back in June and was in Illinois for several weeks helping out with distribution mapping of Brood XIII. I had a really excellent time.
You are right about the traffic getting to downtown Chicago it is horrendous. thank you very much for the information about the cicada emergences in Homewood and Flossmoor, ILL I will add these datapoints to my database. Thanks also for the photos. It is good to have a visual record.
It is said that the Periodical Cicada females love to lay their eggs in trees that are on well-cared-for lawns. That is why it seems that they are more abundant in and around the city. Apparently, when the nymphs first hatch, they will attach themselves to the roots of grasses for the first few years of developement, then move deeper underground to attched themselves to heartier plants like trees and bushes.
Again, my apologies for not writing back to you until now.
Best Regards
Gerry Bunker
Massachusetts Cicadas
http://www.mechaworx.com/cicada/masscic1.asp
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