Long Island Cicadas

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Tibicen Canicularis-The Dog Day Cicada

Tibicen Canicularis

Suffolk County, Long Island, NY

September 1, 2013

Tibicen Canicularis - Greener morph

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Hunting the Tibicen Auletes

Hunting the Tibicen Auletes

Lakewood, New Jersey

July 29, 2013

Newly emerged from the ground and now climbing the tree to emerge.

Dan and Elias trying to catch a T. Auletes

Neocicada Hieroglyphica

Neocicada hieroglyphica

July 18, 2013

Close-up images of the Neocicada hieroglyphica.

The Neocicada hieroglyphica has an excellent camouflage. Although you can hear it, it is extremely hard to find among the many pines and oaks. This photo is an example of just how hard it is to see the NH in a pine. If you are lucky to find it in an Oak tree you have a better chance of seeing it against the bark.

17-Year Cicada Emergence

Magicicada Septendecim 17 Year Cicada
Nymph Emergence

June 1, 2013

Emergence sequence of the Magicicada septendecim

When the nymph is ready to emerge it grabs securely onto a branch and freezes.

The nymph shell splits around the top of the thorax

It slowly works its head out first.

Once the head is out it leans backwards so it can pull out its legs.

It slowly works its legs out of the shell. This is a delicate process because sometimes extremities could get stuck in the shell and the nymph will be stuck or one of the legs could get broken off.

The nymph will hang upside down for a while to allow the top half of its body and legs to harden.

Its legs must harden and be strong enough to support the weight of its newly emerged body from its shell.

When its legs have hardened and are strong enough to support its weight it will bend and reach upward to grab the branch or exuvia and pulls out the rest of its body and hang for a while to allow its body to harden and wings to expand.

The Cicada expands its wings by pumping hymolymph (cicada blood) into its wings to expand them.

Over several hours the cicada will expand its wings and allow its exoskeleton to harden. Cicada are very vulnerable to injury or becoming prey during this time. If the cicada's body is injured in any way where the hemolymph bleeds out, this is a death sentence for the cicada.

The cicada will hold its wings flat while they are expanding.

Once the nymphs wings have fully expanded they will pull them in to the sides of their body and allow them to fully harden. It must wait for its wings to fully harden before it can fly. The nymphs are also very light in color and it will slowly acquire its adult colors as the exoskeleton hardens overnight.

After the M. septendecim fully emerged from its exuvia I allowed it to rest overnight so its adult color could develop.

The Magicicada septendecim's body turns black and the eyes are a striking red color.

It is amazing to know that this is a 17 year old insect!

Monday, July 15, 2013

World Science Festival: The Joy of Six Legged Sex

On Friday, May 31, 2013, The Staten Island Museum had a program in conjunction with the World Science Festival: The Joy of Six Legged Sex about how insects and humans attract their mates. John Cooley's program was on the Periodical Cicadas of Brood II which were in the process of emerging at the time of the program. Along with John Cooley are Ed Johnson and Cara Santa Maria.