Massachusetts Cicadas Special Projects
About Cicada Projects News Category
The Cicada Projects section contains articles of two different types. Type one pertains to those subjects where the author is trying to find out something new and interesting about cicadas. Type two pertains to subjects where the author hosts visiting researchers in projects that involve Massachusetts and New England.
When Does Okanagana Season Begin? - Part 1
That's actually a pretty good question. I have been curious about this since I first discovered O. rimosa in Massachusetts in 2007. Steadily for the past 3 years I have been coming back to this site. The earliest Okanagana rimosa visit to this Massachusetts site was last year on June 6th, 2009.
However, on July 18th of 2009 I found a NEW site for Okanagana in New Hampshire. This new site was found on a whim based on an obscure mention of a town in New Hampshire from a paper I read from Will
Date Posted: 2010-05-30 Comments: (2)
Brood XIV Periodical Cicadas at Peak on Cape Cod
Hey everyone. I just got back from the Cape today and if you plan on visiting Cape Cod to experience the Cicadas now is the time. I spent a part of the day in Northwest Sandwich adding data points to the Massachusetts distribution map.
Notice anything strange with the below image? Look closely there are differences that should be apparent compared to your normal garden-variety female M. septendecim. If you haven't noticed, let me tell you. This Magicicada has white eyes. Also, see the costa
Date Posted: 2008-06-18 Comments: (0)
Cicada Killers Part 2
This is a continuation of yesterday's Cicada Killer Lek Survey with Professor Chuck Holliday from Lafayette University
Cicada Killers at Montague Sand Plains - Montague, Ma.
I met Chuck at around 8:30 in the morning and we headed out west. It took about 1.5 hours to get there. When we arrived, the sun was high in the sky and we saw many cicada killer females at work. There must have been around 100 burrows. Some were active and some were not. These burrows were spread out over a wide area so a
Date Posted: 2007-08-17 Comments: (1)
Cicada Killers Part 1
Professor Chuck Holliday Pays a Visit.
For the last several years I have been studying a cicada killer lek at a place called "Pine Grove" Cemetery in Westford, MA. Back in 2005, I met 3 fellas that worked for the town's Cemetery Department. That was how I found out about Pine Grove.
Needing to learn more about Cicada Killers, I found Professor Chuck Holliday of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. Through many back-and-forth emails over several years, I have learned much a
Date Posted: 2007-08-16 Comments: (0)
Three Additional O. rimosa Specimens!
That's right folks. I went back to the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area on Saturday July 7th and caught more O. rimosas!! I don't know if it was because it was 07/07/07 and the day was lucky, but I can tell you it was harder than I thought.
I went prepared with plenty of water and my big extension net. I only managed to snag one specimen with the net because the others were too well protected in the pine trees which made them difficult to spot and when trying to use the net, t
Date Posted: 2007-07-12 Comments: (0)