CiCada Central

The buzz on the bugs of summer

Up to 40,000 cicadas can emerge from under a single tree.

Brooding over CiCadasThere are several species, or “broods,” of magicicadas – periodical cicadas with synchronized life cycles that appear in different regions.

More than 150 species of cicadas around the United States are annual, appearing every year – just in smaller numbers than their periodical counterparts.

The 2011 cicadas are Brood XiX, also known as Brood 19 or The great southern Brood.

Brood XIX is the largest brood, geographically speaking, appearing in portions of 15 states in the Southeast and Southern Midwest, from Maryland westward to Oklahoma, and as far south as Mississippi.

did You Know?

Cicadas do not sting and pose no threat

to people.

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.org Millions

of 13-year cicadas emerge in 15 states across the Midwest and Southeast.

Locusts are not cicadas. The term refers to a type of grasshopper.

Crops are not eaten by adult cicadas, though newly hatched cicadas (nymphs) do feed on twig sap.

Large areas:Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee

Strong in limited areas:Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina

Few, very limited areas:Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, Virginia

Up to 40,000 cicadas can emerge from under a single tree.

where does Brood XiX of CiCadas appear?

when does Brood XiX of CiCadas appear?

Adult cicadas emerge from the ground when soil temperatures about 4 inches under the ground’s surface warm up to 67 degrees.

The cicadas first begin to emerge in South Carolina in mid-April.

How long do they live?

4-5 weeksthe length of the adult cicadas’ life

6-7 weekstime it takes for cicada eggs to hatch

Cicadas’ Favorite TreesApple

Dogwood

Hickory

Oak

Pear

*However, you can see the puncture marks on many tree species.

proteCting Your plants: tips from ut eXtension

1 Wait to prune young fruit trees until after the cicada emergence so damaged

branches can be removed.

2Cover small shrubs and trees with loose woven or spun fabric like cheesecloth.

Why do they live underground for so long?Appearing in such great numbers, the cicadas emerge from the ground unexpected by prey and have a better chance of survival.

Adult cicadas fly, at the most, a half-mile during their lifetimes.

did You Know?Periodical cicadas are unique in their

combination of long, prime-numbered life cycles (13 or 17 years), precisely

timed mass emergences and active choruses.

Male CicadasThe familiar buzz we hear from cicadas is the singing of adult males, which begins about 4-5 days after they emerge from the soil.

The sound is made from a complex of membranes, called tymbals, connected to the abdomen.

Cicadas make noise in order to attract a mate. Each species of cicada has a different mating sound.

Yes, and I am dreading their return

Yes, but they’re not THAT bad

Yes, LOVE ’em!

No, but I’m curious to see what the big deal is

poll: have You eXperienCed the 13-Year CiCadas Before?

50%

35%

10%5%

Female CicadasFemale cicadas are the ones that cause damage to young trees.

The female cicadas make tiny slits in the branches of trees – as many as 20 slits in a single branch – to lay their eggs inside.

Female cicadas lay 24-28 eggs in each slit, and each female can lay a total of 400 to 600 eggs during her brief above-ground lifespan.

Adult cicadas fly, at the most, a half-mile during their lifetimes.

preYing on CiCadas

Birds

Snakes

Dogs

Cats

Wasps

Sources: Periodical Cicada Mapping Project, sponsored by the National Geographic Society, The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois Natural History Survey, CicadaMania.com

Remembering ’98“We were deluged with the critters! We have a screened-in porch, and every morning I had to take a broom and sweep the screens of live and dead cicadas.” – Scott Templeton

“Cicadas are a strong sign summer is here. I raise guineas so obviously nature’s noises don’t bother me. Plus they are great protein for the poultry.” – Joy Hattaway Beach

“I love the sound they make.” – Mary Ann Brewer

“I was 16 and working at a grocery store. I remember fighting cicadas all day while trying to bring in buggies. I dreaded taking customers’ groceries out to their cars; some customers would scream and run as if they were being chased.” – Raven Petty

“I remember being dive-bombed by cicadas when dropping my daughter off at preschool. I felt like we were running for our lives.” – Peggy Blake

Some fruit producers consider cicadas to be a good year for crops such as cherries, as the birds will be too full from preying on cicadas that they don’t eat the fruits.

glossarYnymph noun \’nim(p)f\ : newly hatched cicada

After hatching, the nymphs burrow into the ground, where they will live until adulthood.

brood noun \’brüd\ : classification of periodical cicadas

Brood XIX emerges from the soil every 13 years, whereas Brood XIII emerges every 17 years.

Sources: Periodical Cicada Mapping Project, sponsored by the National Geographic Society, The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois Natural History Survey, CicadaMania.com

did You Know?

Cicadas love the heat, so you might notice the

noise getting louder as the temperatures

get hotter.

Periodical cicadas achieve astounding population densities, as high as 1.5 million per acre.

1.5 Million

Magicicadas have the longest developmental period of any insect in North America.

Read All About ItBy Pettus Read, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation

It has taken them 13 years to make their return to be seen by the public with their ugly, large red eyes. They will swarm lawn mowers and weed eaters, thinking that the machines are one of their kind, which makes them not only ugly but also somewhat stupid in our scheme of things. That could be one reason why people back in 1998, on their arrival from a 13-year sleep under the ground, nicknamed these flying insects the “kamikaze screamers.”

University of Tennessee Extension entomologist Dr. Frank Hale reports that the massive brood emergence is believed to overwhelm predators, which are mostly birds. In other words, they survive due to there being too many for the birds to eat. They come out in waves, with the first group being eaten by birds (you know, the early bird gets the worm – or cicada), which soon get their fill and leave the next wave of bugs alone. They are then allowed to do what they are suppose to do every 13 years, which is for the male to find a female and mate. They don’t eat plants or cause major crop damage. They just sing their loud “love song” to attract another cicada, mate and die. See why I said they are stupid bugs? They have one job to do, and it takes them 13 years to do it.

People even predict the future with these bugs. It was reported that in 1985 their wings had the letter “p” on them meaning peace. In 1998 their wings had the letter “w” on them, which a lot of folks said meant war. Wonder what the letter will be this year? Maybe it will be like a modern-day text message: the three letters “lol” for “laugh out loud.”

Hale says insecticides have not proven to be effective. Nymphs grow slowly and they feed on sap from roots until the spring of their 13th year, when they emerge to start the cycle again.

I’m just thankful they don’t bite or sting and only come around every 13 years. They are sort of like a new property tax appraisal. It only happens every five years, causes big red eyes and a lot of buzzing, and dies off until the next one comes around.