An annual cicada in Chicago: Cicadas have prominent eyes set wide apart, short antennae, and membranous front wings. They have an exceptionally loud song, produced in most species by...

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Cicadas have prominent eyes set wide apart, short antennae, and membranous front wings. They have an exceptionally loud song, produced in most species by the rapid buckling and unbuckling of drumlike tymbals.

Chicago, IL
August 2020

Cicada by Paul Sager, on Flickr

One genus, the periodical cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs, emerging only after 13 or 17 years. The annual cicadas are species that emerge every year. Though these cicadas have lifecycles that can vary from one to nine or more years as underground larvae, their emergence above ground as adults is not synchronized, so some members of each species appear every year.

Cicada

All images feature the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-f/5.6L IS II USM, with the EF 1.4x III, mounted to an EOS 5DIII, captured in RAW and processed in Lightroom 6 and Topaz DeNoise 6.

At least 3000 cicada species are distributed worldwide with the majority being in the tropics.

Cicada

Although only males produce the cicadas' distinctive sounds, both sexes have membranous structures called tympana by which they detect sounds, the equivalent of having ears.

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Triple G

I remember them well. I haven’t heard them here in TN yet. About 20 years ago in Chicago, some visiting Germans were very curious about a noise that they heard constantly. They wondered it it was coming from the power lines. The discussion on cicadas was fun. They thought we were pulling their leg(s).

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Triple G wrote:

I remember them well. I haven’t heard them here in TN yet. About 20 years ago in Chicago, some visiting Germans were very curious about a noise that they heard constantly. They wondered it it was coming from the power lines. The discussion on cicadas was fun. They thought we were pulling their leg(s).

Thank you Triple G! The Cubs have moved to their own private TV network so they probably aren't seen as much outside Chicago as the olden days. Without the crowds the cicada buzz has been more noticeable behind the announcers. Also, next year is the 17-year brood here in the Chicago area in addition to the late season annuals.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Neat.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

That is great Paul, Thanks!

J. R.

Triple G

CHG_CANON wrote:

Thank you Triple G! The Cubs have moved to their own private TV network so they probably aren't seen as much outside Chicago as the olden days. Without the crowds the cicada buzz has been more noticeable behind the announcers. Also, next year is the 17-year brood here in the Chicago area in addition to the late season annuals.

The Channel 9 WGN-Cubs partnership was the best. We have an IL club here though to stay connected to Cubs and Bears (the White a Sox Fans are included too).

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

CHG_CANON wrote:

Cicadas have prominent eyes set wide apart, short ... (show quote)

Another good article Paul. Since I left Illinois in 65 I haven't heard or seen them... Thanks for sharing.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Thank you Bill, JR, Triple G, Frank! This is the trunk of a tree from my front yard, now approaching 16 years old when we planted it, if memory serves. When laying eggs, the mother cicada picks trees with the potential to be there 9- to 17-years later. I'm hoping there a lot of bugs down below the tree waiting to come out.