From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
A cicada (pronounced
/sɪˈkeɪdə/) is an
insect of the order
Hemiptera, suborder
Auchenorrhyncha, in the superfamily Cicadoidea, with large eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. There are about 2,500 species of cicada around the world, and many remain unclassified. Cicadas live in temperate to tropical climates where they are among the most widely recognized of all insects, mainly due to their large size and remarkable acoustic talents. Cicadas are sometimes colloquially called "locusts",
[1] although they are unrelated to true
locusts, which are a kind of
grasshopper. They are also known as "jar flies". Cicadas are related to
leafhoppers and
spittlebugs. In parts of the southern
Appalachian Mountains in the
United States they are known as "dry flies" because of the dry shell they leave behind.
Cicadas are benign to humans and do not bite or sting, but can be pests to several cultivated crops. Many people around the world regularly eat cicadas: the female is prized as it is meatier. Cicadas have been (or are still) eaten in
Ancient Greece,
China,
Malaysia,
Burma,
Latin America, and the
Congo. Shells of cicadas are employed in the traditional medicines of China.
[2]The name is a direct derivation of the
Latin cicada, meaning "buzzer". In classical
Greek it was called a tettix, and in modern Greek tzitzikas - both names being
onomatopoeicTaxonomyCicadas are arranged into two families:
Tettigarctidae (q.v.) and Cicadidae. There are two
extant species of Tettigarctidae, one in southern
Australia, and the other in
Tasmania. The family Cicadidae is subdivided into the subfamilies Tettigadinae, Cicadinae, and Cicadettinae, and they exist on all continents except
Antarctica.
17-year cicada, or magicicada
Cicada found in Chicago, IL, USA, on June, 2007
The largest cicadas are in the
genera Pomponia and
Tacua. There are some 200 species in 38 genera in
Australia, about 450 in Africa, about 100 in the
Palaearctic, and exactly one species in
England, the
New Forest cicada, Melampsalta montana, widely distributed throughout Europe. There are about 150 species in
South Africa.
Most of the North American species are in the genus
Tibicen - the annual or
dog-day cicadas (so named because they emerge in late July and August
[1] ). The best-known North American genus is
Magicicada, however. These periodical cicadas have an extremely long life cycle of 13 to 17 years and
emerge in large numbers.
[1] Another American species is the Apache cicada, Diceroprocta apache.
Australian cicadas can differ from many other types because of that continent's diversity of climate and terrain. In Australia, cicadas are found on tropical islands and cold coastal beaches around
Tasmania; in tropical wetlands; high and low deserts; alpine areas of
New South Wales and
Victoria; large cities like
Sydney,
Melbourne, and
Brisbane; and Tasmanian highlands and snowfields.
Thirty-eight species from five genera populate
New Zealand, and all are
endemic to New Zealand and the surrounding islands (
Norfolk Island,
New Caledonia). Many New Zealand cicada species differ from those of other countries by being found high up on mountain tops.
DescriptionThe adult insect, sometimes called an
imago, is usually 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) long, although some tropical species can reach 15 cm (6 in), e.g. Pomponia imperatoria from
Malaysia. Cicadas have prominent eyes set wide apart on the sides of the head, short
antennae protruding between or in front of the eyes, and membranous
front wings. Also, commonly overlooked, cicadas have 3 small eyes located on the top of the head between the two large eyes that match the color of the large eyes, giving them a total of five eyes. Desert cicadas are also among the few insects known to cool themselves by sweating,
[3] while many other cicadas can voluntarily raise their body temperatures as much as 22
°C (72
°F) above ambient temperature.
[4]
Cicada found in Chicago, IL, USA, on June, 2007
Plow the ground deeply. This will be at least seven inches or more. I myself prefer 12 inches.Plant the peanuts after the last frost in very sandy soil. This will ensure good drainage. A good peanut crop requires that the soil drain well.
