# Periodical Cicadas (*Magicicada*) Periodical cicadas are special insects that come out every 13 or 17 years! They sing a loud song to find friends and can be found in many places during their big years. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 17 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** 17-Year Cicada, Magicicada ![Periodical Cicadas](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Magicicada_Brood_XXIII_UMFS_2015_2.JPG&width=800) Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magicicada_Brood_XXIII_UMFS_2015_2.JPG) ## Appearance The Periodical Cicadas has a sturdy, dark body, typically black, with bright red eyes that stand out. Their clear, membranous wings are veined with orange, giving them a distinct appearance from other cicada species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hemiptera - **Family:** Cicadidae - **Genus:** Magicicada ## Interesting facts - After they emerge, their shed skin shells are often found clinging to trees and plants! - Some groups of cicadas have been tracked for hundreds of years, like a living calendar! - Their incredibly loud songs can be as noisy as a roaring lawnmower! - They emerge in such huge numbers, scientists can predict their arrival decades ahead! ## Special abilities - **Underground Time-Travelers:** Periodical Cicadas has the ability to live underground for 13 or 17 years as nymphs, safely developing before emerging. - **Nature's Loudspeakers:** Periodical Cicadas can produce extremely loud mating calls using special vibrating membranes, attracting mates from afar. - **Sustained Siphoning:** Periodical Cicadas can drink sap directly from tree roots or branches using a straw-like mouthpart for nutrients. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-100 mm - **Size:** 20-40 mm - **Lifespan:** 4745-6205 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These insects sip sap from trees and plants using a straw-like mouth. - **Age differences:** Nymphs feed on tree root sap, while adults feed on sap from branches. - **Primary Foods:** tree xylem sap, tree root sap, plant stem fluids ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Birds feast on cicadas. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Mammals enjoy cicadas. - **Hunts:** [Cicada Killer Wasp](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cicada-killer-wasp) (*Sphecius speciosus*) — Wasps paralyze them. - **Depends on:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Cicadas feed on sap. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Cicadas are not harmful, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Periodical Cicadas? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Periodical Cicadas's wingspan? 60-100 mm ### How big is Periodical Cicadas? 20-40 mm ### How long does Periodical Cicadas live? 4745-6205 days ### How fast can Periodical Cicadas fly? 15 km/h ### What does Periodical Cicadas eat? These insects sip sap from trees and plants using a straw-like mouth. ### Where is Periodical Cicadas usually found? Forests ### How many legs does Periodical Cicadas have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Cedar Brook Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-brook-park) — New Jersey, US · Park - [Vanderbilt University](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/vanderbilt-university) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Willowwood Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/willowwood-arboretum) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden - [Aldie Mill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aldie-mill-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bamboo-brook-outdoor-education-center) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden - [Colonial Annapolis Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colonial-annapolis-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District [View all places to see Periodical Cicadas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/periodical-cicadas) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Periodical Cicadas: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/periodical-cicadas)