Ten Myths, Facts, & Benefits of Cicadas
1. Cicadas are not locusts. Locusts are the things of biblical plagues, a type of grasshopper devouring plants and leaves. Cicadas suck the sap and are incapable of chewing and devouring anything. Cicadas aren’t primarily beneficial.
2. Cicadas do not attack anything and do not bite. Not only do they not bite, they cannot bite. They don't have chewing/chomping mouthparts. They are designed to suck sap and could not bite you if they wanted to. If they fly into you, I promise it was not an intentional attack. Everything seems to eat these bugs, and it just desires evasion; sometimes it isn't very good at it.
3. Pretty much everything that can eat a cicada eats cicadas. That includes people around the world. Cicadas have as much protein as red meat. They contain all nine amino acids, making them a complete protein and an excellent source of antioxidants.
4. Although saplings or small woody plants made up of primarily small branches can suffer irreparable damage due to the females' egg-laying, Cicadas do not harm adult established trees. Cicada nymphs feed on the sap in the roots, which takes some of the nutrients, but this has not been known to damage trees. Cicadas can also benefit established trees by aerating the ground, pruning the small branches, and their dead bodies give nitrogen back to the soil.
5. Most all other insects that leave an exuvia, eat it. Cicadas don't because they don't have the mouthparts.
6. The exuviae of cicadas have been used in traditional medicines throughout history for ailments such as migraines, inflammation, cancer, convulsions, and more, but WARNING it is known to be dangerous for pregnant women.
7. You can tell females and males apart by their abdomen. The females' abdomens come to a pronounced dark point, and males are more domed: think “shield bug”.
8. There are over 3,000 types of cicadas—Periodicals that emerge in 7,13, and 17-year intervals and Annuals, which is a misnomer, that emerge every 2-5 years with overlapping generations.
9. All cicadas have the same life cycle. They only vary in how long they stay underground. Some ponder if the 13 and 17-year cicadas may emerge during prime years to avoid predators' cycles and avoid becoming prey for other animals.
10. The fluctuating seasons are believed to be affecting the emergence time of some cicadas as some broods are emerging early.
*Photos courtesy of Kelly Hock and MDC