Dedicated to the Study of the Cicadas of Massachusetts and New England

 

Cicada Behavior Videos

About the Behaviors Video Category

The cicada behaviors videos are videos that note different and unusual cicada behaviors. For instance, alarm squawks, fake wing flicking responses among others. You can navigate through these videos by the page navigation towards the bottom. Clicking on a thumbnail with a play icon will launch the video player in a modal window. Under each video is a comment form if you would like to leave a comment or ask questions.

Okanagana rimosus Alarm Squawk

Play O. rimosus Alarm Squawk video Author: Massachusetts Cicadas
Published On: 2010-06-19
Description: Video of an Okanagana rimosus alarm squawk. This video was shot at the Karner Blue Butterfly Easement in Concord N.H. immediately after capture.
Referring Article: Okanagana rimosus Found in Concord New Hampshire

Date Posted: 2010-11-02 Comments: (0)Show Comments

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Training your Magicicada

Play Training your Magicicada video Author: Massachusetts Cicadas
Published On: 2008-06-17
Description: Well, not really TRAIN per se. Rather you can take advantage of pre-programmed instinctual behavior. In this video, a cicada was calling in a nearby bush. Watch what happens when I snap my fingers. I am simulating a female wing-flick response. The urge to procreate is so strong in male cicadas that they will often fly to a perceived sound that could be female wing flicking. Also, if you put males in with other males, they will try to mate with each other. I have also seen this (same sex mating) with cicadas of the genus Tibicen.
Referring Article: Brood XIV on Cape Cod in Full Swing!

Date Posted: 2010-10-28 Comments: (0)Show Comments

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Magicicada Male Calling While Mating

Play Male Magicicada calling while mating video Author: Massachusetts Cicadas
Published On: 2008-06-13
Description: Something that I've never seen before during my third periodical cicada emergence. This male M. septendecim began to call while mating with a female Magicicada. It started with the first stage call and ended with the third stage call. I wonder how often this happens without observation. The drive to procreate in males is very strong.
Referring Article: Brood XIV on Cape Cod in Full Swing!

Date Posted: 2010-10-28 Comments: (0)Show Comments

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Female M. septendecim wing flick response

Watch female M. septendecim response video Author: Massachusetts Cicadas
Published On: 2008-06-11
Description: I conducted a several experiments with the Magicicada from Brood XIV in 2008. In this experiment, I simulated a male normal calling song by whistling in order to guage female response. You can see in this video that the females in the mesh bag are responding to my call with a wing-flick response. This is not new and this behavior has been noted by others in the study of Magicicada. I was merely trying to duplicate their findings. It obviously works!
Referring Article: Brood XIV Periodical Cicadas Latest Stuff

Date Posted: 2010-10-27 Comments: (0)Show Comments

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Male M. septendecim call w/fake wing flicking.

Play M. septendecim call video Author: Massachusetts Cicadas
Published On: 2008-06-11
Description: What I like about Periodical cicadas is the ease that one can interact with them. I know of no other insect that you can coax to do a bunch of stuff and that will exhibit strange behaviors. Thanks to Professor John Cooley and David Marshall, I learned how to get male M. septendecim to call with a simple whistle followed by a fake wing-flick simulation. The fake wing flick is actually a simulated female wing flick response to a calling male cicada.
Referring Article: Brood XIV Periodical Cicadas Latest Stuff

Date Posted: 2010-10-28 Comments: (0)Show Comments

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Brood I Information

The Brood I periodical cicada emergence happened in 2012 in Virginia, W. Virginia and Tennessee. Below are some of the highlights.

Brood XIX Information

The Brood XIX periodical cicada emergence has come and gone. Below is some information that you may find helpful.