Cicada-Palooza

Cicada-Palooza, Magicicadamageddon or whatever you want to call it, is off to a great start in the watershed. Both males and females of at least Magicicada septendecim are out and about, at least here in the Hyattsville and surrounding areas in PG County.

Remember that there are 3 species of Magicicada how to tell them apart? Find more info here: https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/where-will-17-13-year-periodical-cicadas-emerge-next/#species

But long story short: in order to make confident species ID you must take pictures of the abdomen and the presence/absence of orange coloring between the eye and the base of the wing.

This is also a great time to document interspecific interactions like predation and such. I saw/observed cicada nymphs, almost intact, in cat scat! Today I saw a House sparrow tackling a cicada while driving, could not make the observation...

Happy Cicada Watching!

Jorge

Posted on Μάιος 17, 2021 0211 ΠΜ by jorbogmont