17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect!

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17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest

Magicicada septendecim, the Latin name for the 17-year cicada, is one of the longest living insects and also one of the loudest.

It's believed that periodical cicada appear every year somewhere in the U.S. since there are 17 different broods, each numbered in order of their appearance. Most of these broods aren't so numerous or make sufficient noise to deserve our scrutiny, but others, including Brood XIII, the biggest and most widespread brood, most certainly get our attention whenever it's their turn to greet the Sun.

The realm of Brood XIII is the Middle Atlantic and Mid West states -- an especially dense knot of cicada emerge in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and northern Virginia.

In the Spotlight

17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect

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What are they

17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect

They are black, with red eyes and yellow or orange stripes on the underside. The wings are translucent and have orange veins.

They are harmless insects; they neither bite nor sting. They are not poisonous, and there is no evidence that they transmit diseases. They generally do not pose a threat to vegetation, but young plants may be damaged by excessive feeding or egg laying. It is thus advised not to plant new trees or shrubs just before an emergence of the periodical cicadas. Mature plants usually do not suffer lasting damage even by a mass-emergence.

Read more from International Herald Tribune May 20, 2007.

Where do they appear

17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect

Twelve broods of 17-year cicadas appear in different areas of the northeastern U.S. in different years, emerging from late May through June. Their bright red eyes and reddish markings distinguish the Periodical Cicadas from the Dog-Day Cicadas which emerge later in the summer (July through August) and have green markings.

Each brood actually consists of up to three separate species which all emerge together. Each looks slightly different and the males of each species court their ladies with a different serenade. If a human takes the time to listen and try to sort out what seems to be cacophony, he or she can easily distinguish these three songs.

Links & Resources

17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect

UMMZ Periodical Cicada Page
Many people know periodical cicadas by the name "17-year locusts" or "13-year locusts", but they are not true locusts, which are a type of ...
Magicicada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Magicicada is the genus of the 13- and 17-year periodical cicadas of eastern North America. They are sometimes called "17-year locusts", although cicadas ...
17 Year Cicadas-Selected Internet Resources-Library of Congress
Learn all about cicadas from this article from the How stuff works Web site. They're back! The 17-year cicadas ...
Cicada 2011, Cicada Insect, 17 Year Locust, How to control Cicada
Cicada bugs, also called the "17 year locust", Cicada insects or bugs, arrive by the millions, and can do damage to a variety of young trees and shrubs in ...

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17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect

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17 Year Cicada, Longest Living, Loudest Insect

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