17 year cicadas

ABCarve

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I had never heard of these... amazing that between 13 and 17 years they synchronously all appear at once.
They actually don't. Different cicadas have different cycles and the number of years are in prime numbers so they don't come out simultaneously and cross breed. Their only defense is their vast numbers. Cross breeding could change the cycle to random years and diminish their numbers. If you do the math it is possible two variations can come out at once but is measured in 100's of years. Maybe this is the year
 

eferguson1974

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There was a hatch when I lived in rural north Ga the last time. The whole eastern US had them. The noise was crazy! My radio wouldnt drown them out.
They stripped flowers from a family members garden already this year. From what I remember they lay their eggs under tree bark, and would surely hurt a bonsai if they get the chance. I dont know what they eat as grubs, and Im not sure they eat at all as adults. But looking for a place and laying eggs does plenty of damage. So my fellow bnuts, take care of your trees!
 

ColinFraser

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Also, FYI, they aren't "hatching" - they're just emerging from underground. The eggs of the periodical cicadas emerging now hatched 17 years ago, and the nymphs have been feeding on roots underground since then. When a nymph becomes an adult, it comes above ground and molts its exoskeleton (not for the first time, as there have been several molts during the nymph phase too). Those are the crunchy shells you find.

A caterpillar hatches from an egg; a butterfly doesn't hatch from a cocoon. Same idea here.
 

eferguson1974

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Also, FYI, they aren't "hatching" - they're just emerging from underground. The eggs of the periodical cicadas emerging now hatched 17 years ago, and the nymphs have been feeding on roots underground since then. When a nymph becomes an adult, it comes above ground and molts its exoskeleton (not for the first time, as there have been several molts during the nymph phase too). Those are the crunchy shells you find.

A caterpillar hatches from an egg; a butterfly doesn't hatch from a cocoon. Same idea here.
Good point. I guess I call it a hatch, like fly fishers talking about a bunch of bugs coming out at once.
Since you seem to know a bit more about them, do they eat as adults or just reproduce like soldier flies? I recall hearing they lay eggs under bark. Is that correct?
Y'all should see them here. They can be 3-4" or so, much bigger than any I saw in the States. But they emerge every year, making noise but not enough to bug anyone (pun intended) and dont last long. There are smaller ones too, but Ive never heard them much. Strange creatures!
 

ColinFraser

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Good point. I guess I call it a hatch, like fly fishers talking about a bunch of bugs coming out at once.
Since you seem to know a bit more about them, do they eat as adults or just reproduce like soldier flies? I recall hearing they lay eggs under bark. Is that correct?
Y'all should see them here. They can be 3-4" or so, much bigger than any I saw in the States. But they emerge every year, making noise but not enough to bug anyone (pun intended) and dont last long. There are smaller ones too, but Ive never heard them much. Strange creatures!
Like most hemipterans they suck plant juices.
Yep, the female makes a groove in a branch to lay her eggs in. The nymphs make their way down to the ground later.
 

drew33998

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They almost killed on of my larger crepe myrtles last summer. They cut little v's. All around the branches. I thought well it's a crepe myrtle it will be fine. It leafed out this year very weakly and hasn't put on any new growth
 

JudyB

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They almost killed on of my larger crepe myrtles last summer. They cut little v's. All around the branches. I thought well it's a crepe myrtle it will be fine. It leafed out this year very weakly and hasn't put on any new growth
Did you see them on the trees? So far they have stayed up in the canopies of the natural trees here, have not seen them on the bonsai. Wonder how long these are a threat....
 

drew33998

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Yep. Killed them when I could. They didn't go after anything else though that I've noticed. I'll try to snap some pics later. They do stay mostly in the canopies of the high pines but I cut down 3 fifty foot pines close to my trees last summer so that could have been part of the cause
 

Heavy_Set

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Add another reason to the list of why I am glad to live in OR!!! :D

I experienced them in the Dallas TX area in 2011. I cant say I enjoyed the bastards, but the whole cycle is pretty interesting to read about.
 
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