A periodical cicada emergence typically consists of three species, which are easily separated by size, coloration, and song. Some scientists feel that those emerging every 13 years consist of three different species than those emerging every 17 years. Other scientists feel that the same three species emerge every 13 or 17 years. The cicadas that emerge in the same geographical area in the same year are considered to be in the same brood. Sometimes the geographical areas of a brood are disjunct, but they are typically near each other. In 1907, U.S. Government entomologist C.L. Marlatt published what was considered the most complete and definitive work on the periodical cicada. He gave each of the cicada broods a number. Marlatt’s number designations are still in use today, even though he originally thought there were 30 broods. At present only 15 broods are recognized (Broods I though X, XIII, and XIV are 17-year broods and Broods XIX, XXII, and XXIII are 13-year broods). In 1975, Illinois Natural History Survey entomologist Lewis Stannard, Jr., published The Distribution of Periodical Cicadas in Illinois. In it he describes the five broods that occur in Illinois and he also mapped them. <img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/As-I-Lay-Dying/P100008981.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /> Iowan Brood (Brood III)—The Iowan Brood has a 17-year cycle and most recently emerged in 1997. It has a disjunct population. The western counties correspond to a western spur of the northern part of the Illinoisan-age glacial plain. The small parts of DeWitt, Piatt, and Champaign counties are a disjunct population. Brood III also occurs in Iowa and Missouri and will emerge during 2014. Great Southern Brood (Brood XIX)—The Great Southern Brood has a 13-year cycle and last emerged in 1998. Most of this brood is on the Illinoisan-age glacial plain. Brood XIX also occurs in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. They will emerge during 2011. Great Eastern Brood (Brood X)—The Great Eastern Brood has a 17-year cycle and has emerged in 2004. This brood is found only in Vermilion, Edgar, and Clark counties and a small section of Champaign County and occupies an area that supports other relict eastern species such as American beech and tulip poplar. Brood X also occurs in Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. They will emerge again in 2021. Northern Illinois Brood (Brood XIII)—The Northern Illinois Brood has a 17-year cycle and last emerged in 1990. Most of the region occupied by this brood lies within the Wisconsin-age glacial plain. Brood XIII also occurs in Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and will emerge again during 2007. Lower Mississippi River Valley Brood (Brood XXIII)—The Lower Mississippi River Valley Brood has a 13-year cycle and last emerged in 2002. This brood corresponds to where the baldcypress meets its northern distribution limit. Brood XXIII also occurs in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and will emerge during 2015. Note: These insects are all over the place right now, by June there will be billions. These little creatures are pretty interesting to listen to let alone hold one. The males are the ones that sing which draws the females and after they mate; the male dies.
Yea I would say its interesting....but they are bugs...how is that cool. Plus I would say you can't really make a discussion out of bugs...haha
Yeah, i know all of you are thinkin "wtf is up with this guy is he really that lame". The answer is no i am not that lame the whole point of this thread was to see if anyone has come across any of these little guys during this summer especially those that live in the mid-west. The other reason why i started this thread is because of how many there are, i mean the males are constantly singing throughout the day and at night they crawl around. I mean i can't go outside without one falling on my head or climb up my arm or something. I don't normally start threads like this with people asking why the hell did i start such a thread. (not flaming you kallitechnis)
to tell you the truth, its not that bad. But i just can't imagine eating one while there still in the larva stage which is right when the pop up from the ground. They've said their extremely high in protien. lol
Hey if its healthy, I would eat it. I dont care what it tastes like, Ill eat anything if its healthy for you.
i mean, i've seen an article in the local newspaper that said cicada pizza/deep fried cicadas. The pizza looked good without the little critters
they are starting to pop up were i live. they are really annoying especially if you come across huge males, cause they are seriously as loud as a blender.
which part of the states are you at, like the article i posted said. They come up at different times. Where i'm at which is in the suburbs of chicago. We're drenched in cicadas. The males are singing all hours of the day. The bases of alot of trees are covered in cicada shells. More and more keep poppin up from the ground every few minutes, its like the first time i've seen this many cicadas because the last time we had the 17 year brood i wasn't even born (1987) and i was born the year after. Out of the three broods 17 year brood is the largest.
Never seen one but I am interested to see one, I saw one a few years back I thought, looking at some pictures I coulda sworn it was one, maybe it wasn't I dunno. Is the singing really cool or annoying?
