Home About Us Calendar Gardens Get Involved Lesson Guides News Room Programs Contact Us



UC Clermont College... Start here

Ohio's Backyard--Periodical Cicadas by Gene Kritsky

 

There are upward of 150 species of cicadas in the United States and around 2,000 around the world.
Emerging    
 
Cicadas  in Granny's Gardens

Tools for Teaching in the Gardens

Garden Adventures
Sharing the Bounty
Garden Coordinator Guide
Garden Locations
Newsletter
Manual
Lesson Guides

By Grade 

By Season

Spring

Fall

Planting - Plan

Spring

Early Late
Fall

Harvest - Plan

Spring

Fall

How to
When to
 
Cicadas do not possess special defensive mechanisms -- they do not sting or bite. The ovipositor (which some may mistake for a stinger) is used only for laying eggs and the mouth parts are used only for feeding on twigs; thus, periodical cicadas can hurt you only if they mistake you for a tree branch!" University of Michigan

After emerging from the ground,  the cicada climbs up a tree or shrub to shed its shell.  It makes an opening in the back of the shell then crawls out leaving the shell attached. If it hasn't become a bird snack by now, it dries it's wings then goes about the business of  drinking and  making babies.

When approached, a cicada will simply fly away. If handled, both males and females struggle to fly, and males make a loud defensive buzzing sound that may startle but is otherwise harmless. Cicadas are not poisonous or known to transmit disease." University of Michigan Periodical Cicada Page.  It is the male that makes all of the noise.

"After mating, adult female cicadas use their blade like ovipositor to make long openings in new growth sections of tree branches. A female usually lays 20 to 30 eggs in each opening, and there can be several egg "nests" per branch. During her short adult life stage, each female lays approximately 600 eggs. The eggs take six to eight weeks to mature then the nymphs drop to the ground and immediately begin their descent into an underground world." John Folz University of Florida 

"Eggs hatch into nymphs, which drop to the ground and burrow into the soil, where they suck juices from roots of trees and shrubs. Depending upon the species, cicada nymphs remain underground from 1 to 17 years, then emerge."  4-40.com

We are expecting the "adult periodical cicadas, Magicicada spp., they are sucking insects, about 1.5-inches long, that appear from May to July. They are most numerous in the last two weeks of May and first week of June. They are black and have reddish-orange eyes and legs. Adults have clear wings with orange veins that are held roof-like over their bodies." Ohio Online Fact Sheet

Map of "invasion" area

Ohio State Fact Sheet

A brief history of Cicadas

Easy Facts for Kids

Kids' Cicada Hunt

Summer of Singing Cicadas

Cicada Killer

Lifecycle

Great Close-ups all stages 

Activities
 
Coloring Page 


"Yellow Monday" Cicada from Australia 

English:  Cicada
French:  Cigale
German: Zikade
Italian:    Cicala
Spanish: Cigarra

Click on photo to enlarge
University of Michigan
Periodical Cicada Page 

 

Literature
When the Woods Hum by Joanne Ryder K-3

Cicada Sing-Song  by Densey Clyne Cicadas in Australia

People in some parts of the world eat Cicada as a regular part of their diet.

 

 

 

   
 
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."  Robert Louis Stevenson
Home
Contact
www.grannysgardenschool.com
Webmaster
Loveland City Schools

Website Hosting provided by http://www.data-detective.com/audio.htm

Continued appreciation to our original website sponsor Ellie Kowalchik of Comey and Shepherd