If you are deathly afraid of insects then yeah, Cicadas can harm you...psychologically. Physically however Cicadas cannot harm you. They have no stingers to sting or mandibles to bite. They do have what is known as a beak which is a stylus-type mouth which they use to penetrate branches in order to feed on Xylem. Sometimes if you handle a Cicada, they may mistake you as a branch and try to feed on you but there is very little discomfort if you allow them to actually do this. Personally, I don't let them do this because it is unclear if any pathogens that they may be carrying may accidentally get transferred to you.

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