Cicadas (Cicadidae) are remarkable insects within the order Hemiptera, celebrated for their loud, distinctive songs and fascinating life cycles. They produce sound through specialized structures called tymbals, primarily for mating calls. Some cicada species, known as periodical cicadas, have extraordinary life cycles, spending 13 or 17 years underground as nymphs before emerging synchronously as adults, a strategy thought to evade predators through sheer numbers. Others, called annual cicadas, emerge every year. Their emergence, mass swarming, and unique biology make them iconic examples of insect diversity and adaptation.
Annual Cicadas
Annual cicadas are species within the Cicadidae family that emerge as adults every year, rather than in long, synchronized intervals. Their life cycles vary from 2 to 5 years, but because different species emerge in overlapping patterns, some adults are visible annually in many regions. They are renowned for their tymbal-produced songs, which males use to attract females during warm months, often resulting in a chorus that characterizes summer soundscapes. Annual cicadas typically cause less dramatic ecological impact compared to their periodical relatives.
- Family: Cicadidae
- Life Cycle: 2-5 years; overlapping species ensure annual adult presence
- Sound Production: Tymbals for mating calls; males produce loud songs
- Ecological Role: Nutrient cycling, food source for predators; less dramatic emergence than periodical cicadas
- Distribution: Found worldwide in temperate and tropical regions
Examples of Annual Cicadas
- Neotibicen (Common or Dog-day Cicadas)
- Tibicen (Historic classification, closely related to Neotibicen)
Annual cicadas emerge annually as adults and use tymbals for sound production.
Neotibicen are well-known annual cicadas.
Source Material
Author: University of Kentucky Entomology
Document: Annual vs. Periodical Cicadas
Date Published: 2023-04-01
Periodical Cicadas
Periodical cicadas, primarily from the genus Magicicada, are famous for their synchronized, mass emergences after spending 13 or 17 years as underground nymphs. This extraordinary strategy enhances survival through predator satiation, where overwhelming numbers ensure many survive despite predation. Their emergences create ecological spectacles, contributing to nutrient cycling and providing abundant food for predators. Adults live only a few weeks above ground to reproduce and then die.
- Genus: Magicicada
- Life Cycle: 13 or 17 years (most unique among insects)
- Emergence Style: Synchronized, massive swarms
- Ecological Role: Major nutrient input; food pulse for predators
- Distribution: Eastern and central North America
Examples of Periodical Cicadas
- Magicicada septendecim (17-year)
- Magicicada tredecim (13-year)
- Magicicada cassini (17-year, known for unique courtship calls)
Periodical cicadas have 13- or 17-year life cycles and emerge in synchronized swarms.
Periodical cicadas are members of the genus Magicicada.
Source Material
Author: University of Florida Entomology
Document: Periodical Cicadas
Date Published: 2022
Fossil Cicadas and Evolution
Cicadas have an extensive fossil record dating back to the Mesozoic Era, around 200 million years ago, indicating that their distinctive morphology and sound-producing mechanisms evolved early. Fossils show that ancient cicadas already possessed wings and body structures similar to modern species, though their complex tymbal-based sound system likely became more specialized over time. Their long evolutionary history reflects adaptation to diverse ecological niches and is documented by well-preserved fossils in amber and rock.
- Earliest Fossils: Late Triassic to Jurassic periods (~200 million years ago)
- Evolutionary Milestones: Development of tymbals; diversification of life cycles
- Fossil Evidence: Winged imprints, body fossils, rare amber specimens
- Significance: One of the oldest hemipteran lineages with modern features
Cicadas date back to the Mesozoic Era.
Fossilized wings and body imprints are key evidence for ancient cicadas.
Source Material
Author: Palaeontologica Electronica
Document: Fossil Cicadas and Their Evolution
Date Published: 2021
Conclusion
Cicadas are extraordinary insects whose unique adaptations—in sound production, life cycle timing, and emergence strategies—offer remarkable examples of evolutionary innovation and ecological impact.
- Cicadas produce mating calls with specialized tymbals, orchestrating some of nature's loudest insect choruses.
- Periodical cicadas' extreme life cycles and mass emergences distinguish them from annual cicadas and most other insects.
- A deep fossil record reveals cicadas as an ancient, successful lineage with distinctive features persisting for millions of years.
Cicadas use tymbals to generate sound.
Periodical cicadas have 13- or 17-year life cycles and emerge synchronously.
Cicadas first appeared in the Mesozoic era.