http://www.masscic.orgDedicated to the Study of the Cicadas of Massachusetts and New Englanden-us As the 2012 spring and summer cicada season commences, we can expect the arrival of yet another periodical cicada event. As mentioned in 2011, there will be periodic cicada emergences somewhere in the eastern United States starting in 2011 and continuing each year until 2021. The 2011 cic Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/brood-i-periodical-cicadas-in-the-virginias http://www.masscic.org/general/brood-i-periodical-cicadas-in-the-virginias Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 I'd like to discuss in depth about the cicada's final molting process. While not unusual, as most arthropods go through a molting process in one form or another, the mechanics of the process (also known as "ecdysis") is quite fascinating. About cicadas and their development cycle. Female cica Cicadas 101 http://www.masscic.org/cicadas101/when-ecdysis-in-cicadas-goes-wrong http://www.masscic.org/cicadas101/when-ecdysis-in-cicadas-goes-wrong Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 I have been particularly focused on New Hampshire and Maine this cicada season. Between finding new spots for O. rimosa - among other species - I am also focusing on Tibicen lyricen's northern-most range. Depending on who you talk to, some say that this species' ranges up into New Brunswick and eve Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/tibicen-lyricen-in-new-england http://www.masscic.org/general/tibicen-lyricen-in-new-england Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400 A couple of weeks ago I spent the day in Silver Lake New Hampshire as part of my projects to map cicada species in New England. I was very successful in capturing several specimens of Okanagana rimosa here. So I thought we would spend some time focusing on the morphology of this species. In some spe Cicada Projects http://www.masscic.org/projects/morphological-features-of-okanagana-rimosa http://www.masscic.org/projects/morphological-features-of-okanagana-rimosa Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 It looks like Brood XIX periodical cicadas are finally winding down. I would have to say that all-in-all the reporting was a huge success considering that Massachusetts Cicadas version 2.0 only been live since April with an all-new URL no less. We received many sightings and many reports of Brood XI Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/silver-lake-nh-yields-okanagana-rimosa http://www.masscic.org/general/silver-lake-nh-yields-okanagana-rimosa Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Brood XIX periodical cicadas is the largest of all the periodical cicada broods. Occurring every 13 years, it occupies the largest geographic area of the United States. These cicadas (in the genus known as Magicicada) consists of four distinct species each with their own unique male calling song and Cicada How To http://www.masscic.org/howto/how-to-identify-eastern-brood-xix-magicicadas http://www.masscic.org/howto/how-to-identify-eastern-brood-xix-magicicadas Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 The last two days have been pretty hectic here in Viriginia. While you were probably enjoying cookouts and parties on Memorial Day, your's truly spent the day in the car with the windows open driving mile after mile listening for the sounds of calling periodical cicadas and mapping their distributio Cicada Missions http://www.masscic.org/missions/brood-xix-updates-from-virginia-days-3-and-4 http://www.masscic.org/missions/brood-xix-updates-from-virginia-days-3-and-4 Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Here in Williamsburg the morning started out very cloudy and I was worried that we were going to get rain. But eventually the sun did shine through and all was fine. Creating distribution maps can be a long, boring and drawn-out process. It involves driving around and paying attention to what you s Cicada Missions http://www.masscic.org/missions/mapping-brood-xix-in-virginia-progress-report-day-2 http://www.masscic.org/missions/mapping-brood-xix-in-virginia-progress-report-day-2 Sun, 29 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Hey Folks, I'm here in Williamsburg, Virginia mapping the northern-most range of the Brood XIX periodical cicadas. I woke up at 4:30 this morning and drove all of 12 hours to get here. Unfortunately, Brood XIX's distribution in Virginia is historically spotty at best. There are only Cicada Missions http://www.masscic.org/missions/massachusetts-cicadas-in-virginia-mapping-brood-xix http://www.masscic.org/missions/massachusetts-cicadas-in-virginia-mapping-brood-xix Sat, 28 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 These Brood XIX periodical cicada will take their stylets and instead of tapping into xylem, they will tap into your skull and suck out your brains!!! Just kidding. Like their red-eyed counter-parts they are just as harmless. But these cicadas with the milky white eyes; (sometimes also blue or grey) Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/beware-brood-xix-zombie-cicadas http://www.masscic.org/general/beware-brood-xix-zombie-cicadas Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 With this year's Brood XIX periodical cicada emergence happening in the south, I thought it would be useful to offer some suggestions on the methods that I use to label cicada specimens collected in the field. I would assume that a lot of you out there would probably be doing the same thing. That is Cicada How To http://www.masscic.org/howto/how-to-label-your-cicadainsect-specimens http://www.masscic.org/howto/how-to-label-your-cicadainsect-specimens Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Finally we've managed to launch this year's Brood XIX periodical cicada distribution map. Eventually, there will be maps for all the different broods of periodical cicadas for you to view. The map so far contains Brood XIX reports that users have submitted via the Report Brood XIX Periodical Cicadas Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/brood-xix-distribution-map-is-now-live http://www.masscic.org/general/brood-xix-distribution-map-is-now-live Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 It looks like the Brood XIX periodical cicada emergence is underway. We have sighting reports coming in from Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. The areas surrounding Atlanta on the Piedmont Plateau seems to be experiencing heavy activity already. Special thanks to Bill Reynolds of the North Caroli Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/first-brood-xix-sighting-reports http://www.masscic.org/general/first-brood-xix-sighting-reports Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Hey folks. Welcome to the start of another cicada season. The only difference is, 2011 will be a year for a periodical cicadas emergence. In fact from now, all the way to 2021, somewhere in the United States, a periodical cicada brood will make an appearance. In 2008, Massachusetts Cicadas spent a Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/get-ready-for-brood-xix http://www.masscic.org/general/get-ready-for-brood-xix Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400 I returned once again today to try my luck with catching an Okanagana rimosa cicada at the Concord Pine Barrens along Pembroke Rd. I am happy to report that after several failed attempts I was finally successful at snagging one of the little buggers! I managed to catch a singing specimen in a low As Cicada General Info http://www.masscic.org/general/more-cicada-survey-work-in-concord-nh http://www.masscic.org/general/more-cicada-survey-work-in-concord-nh Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400