Cicada: biology, life cycle, behavior and human interactions

Anatomy and sound production

Cicadas have a distinctive set of structures adapted to their lifestyle: strong legs for clinging to vegetation, sucking mouthparts for feeding on plant fluids, and pronounced tymbal organs used in sound production. The tymbals are ribbed membranes on the sides of the male abdomen; rapid muscle contractions buckle the tymbals and produce pulses that combine into the species' characteristic calls. Females lack tymbals but may make softer signals by wing flicking. Adult cicadas often show color patterns that range widely; many species are green green or black black, but browns, tans and patterned forms are common.

Life cycle and seasonal behavior

Cicadas have a life cycle that includes egg, nymph and adult stages. After mating, a female uses her blade-like ovipositor to cut slits in small twigs or branches and deposits strings of eggs into those cuts. When the eggs hatch, the tiny nymphs drop to the ground and burrow to feed on xylem fluid from plant roots for months to many years. Some species emerge every year (often called "annual" cicadas), while a few North American species are famous for synchronized, long-lived broods that appear in massive numbers on 13- or 17-year cycles; at the surface they molt into adults, mate, and begin the cycle anew. Emerging adults often climb onto a tree branch or other vertical surface to shed their nymphal skin and expand their wings.

Ecology, predators and human uses

Cicadas play important ecological roles: their nymphs help aerate soil and recycle nutrients; the mass emergences of periodical cicadas can provide abundant food for birds, small mammals and predatory insects such as wasps (including species known as cicada killers). Parasitic fungi and other pathogens sometimes infect cicadas and can influence population dynamics. Humans have interacted with cicadas culturally and nutritionally in many regions; in parts of Asia, including China, and elsewhere cicadas are consumed as food or collected for traditional uses during outbreaks.

Distinctions and notable facts

Common misunderstandings include confusing cicadas with locusts or grasshoppers. Locusts are swarming forms of certain grasshopper species, whereas cicadas are hemipterans related to leafhoppers and spittlebugs. Grasshoppers and cicadas differ in mouthparts, life cycles and the way they affect vegetation. Cicada songs are often used by scientists to identify species because each taxon has a distinctive acoustic signature. For more detailed identification guides, life-history studies and regional information, follow resources and field guides linked through trusted entomological pages and publications. true bugs and related resources can provide taxonomic context and further reading.

• Key features: tymbals for song, ovipositor for egg-laying, long nymphal stage.
• Famous phenomena: periodical broods (notably 13- and 17-year cycles).
• Common habitats: temperate to tropical regions, often in woodlands and urban trees.

Cicadas are diverse and varied in size, appearance and behavior; they attract interest from naturalists, musicians, and cultural traditions alike. For more images, recordings and regional listings, consult dedicated entomology resources and local field guides. eggs, tree branch, and other terms above link to introductory material and deeper treatments useful for study and identification.