Missouri Master Naturalists- Springfield Plateau Chapter

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Cicada Emerging

Not an Alien  -  Frank Johnson

There are two predictable events in August, cicada appearance and the emergence of their photographers.  Frank Johnson started this year's cycle with his dramatic photograph above of cicada eclosing, looking like it came out of a space movie.  Most species are green the first few hours, darkening as the air dry their wings and bodies.

Next Su Lyn Rogers sent me this beauty.  When she initially found it on a 10 PM dog walk, it was a newly-emerged cicada crawling on the sidewalk. She says:

"Under the porch light, I could see that it was still wearing some of the soil from its underground stage that had lasted for at least two years. I recorded some videos, then left it outside on a birdhouse on my bench intending to check on its progress later."

She sent this video as it crawled around, looking for a place to eclose.

Freshly eclosed  - Su Lyn Rogers

When she returned later it had completed molting.  MDC Discover Nature has descriptions of the different annual species which we can't identify with this fresh specimen until it dries out.

These are called annual cicada as they appear every August and September, unlike the 13 and 17 year periodic cicada which get all the glory in the press.  This however is deceiving as the life cycle of an individual is over two to five years.  

Also known as "dog day cicadas" they are members of the genus Tibicen, named for their abundance in late August through September in the hottest times.  They make a buzzing sound when they take off on short flights when disturbed and create a loud grating sound when held.  Only the males sing and each species has a distinctive sound, giving them names like "buzz saw" and "scissor grinder" which you can hear at this link.
 
Like their periodic cousins, they lay their eggs on twigs and the larvae emerge, leap off into space and land on the ground where they dig in.  They then burrow into roots to suck sap for the next few years until they mature and emerge, crawling up a tree or post and hanging on tight while the adult emerges and flies off, leaving the empty shell of dried skin to puzzle or delight a lucky child.  These cicada appear to be annual because each year some are emerging and mating.
 
Cicada Killer - Larry Wegmann
 
They are soft and juicy when they first emerge, hardening over 30 minutes.  As they hang on trees they are vulnerable to a specialized predator, the cicada killer wasps.  This is Sphecius specious, the largest wasp in North America.  Although fearsome in appearance, it saves its sting for a cicada to haul off to feed its young as described
in this past blog.  The female can carry a cicada twice its size!

Copperhead fast food - Charlton McDaniel in Tulsa World
 
Cicada's also face another predator, copperhead snakes.  They will climb trees to find these tasty morsels.  This blog has more information and these incredible photos like the one above from the Tulsa World  are worth a visit.