The North American Cicada

Hai! I'm Nik, and as you may know from my Scolopendra Dehaani blog, I'm really interested in terrestrial mollusks, insects, arachnids, and myriapods. So here is my blog about Cicadas! (suggested by oomf)

General Info:

Cicadas can be distributed into two groups: periodical cicadas and annual cicadas. Periodical Cicadas can be used to refer to any of the seven species from the genus Magicicada of eastern North America.  Also known as the 13-year and 17-year cicadas. You may even hear them before you see them. Cicadas are known for the loud buzzing sound that you may hear in the summer. Cicadas are EXTREMELY loud, their chorus often reaching 90-100+ decibels.(dB)

Habitat & Lifespan:

Annual Cicadas are most common in forests and wooded areas; all the while, periodical cicadas also prefer forests, but also inhabit suburban areas with mature oaks, maples and other trees/woodlike plants. Periodical Cicadas spend most of their 13-17 year lives underground as Nymphs, surviving off tree roots. After Cicadas emerge they live from 4-6 weeks long.

Diet:

The diet of the North American cicadas consists of plant liquids from twigs of trees and woodlike shrubs, but cicadas are also opportunistic feeders that will most likely be attracted to the closest large plant to the nymphs' underground habitat.

And that concludes my little rant about North American Cicadas, but I WILL write more once I find more information, but my sources so far are:

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/annual-cicadas#:~:text=Annual%20cicadas%20are%20most%20common,developments%20can%20decrease%20populations%20locally.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodical_cicadas

https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-58

https://www.orkin.com/pests/cicadas/what-do-cicadas-eat