The Cicada Chorus is starting

Periodical cicadas are starting to emerge followed by annual cicadas

Periodical Cicada

Have you been hearing the cicadas this year? During the months of May and June, the sounds of insects in become more prominent. One specific species of insect that one might here during these times is the cicada. Missouri is home to two species of cicada: the annual cicada and the periodical cicada. Both species are active in the summer months and experience a similar life cycle of egg, nymph, adult. The difference between the two species lies in the ecological timing of the metamorphosis.

For annual cicadas, a group of adults molt and mate every year. After hatching, the annual cicada can spend anywhere from 2-5 years as a nymph collecting nutrients from underground root systems. As the weather reaches peak temperatures in the summer, a portion of the population will dig up from the ground and molt into an adult and mate and restart the cycle. There are a least seven species of the annual cicadas.

For the periodical cicada, the molting of a nymph into an adult occurs at the same year for every member of the species within a brood (family of young animals). This can occur anywhere from 13-17 years. For residents of Missouri, the next molting of periodical cicadas is just starting. Brood 19, Missouri’s largest brood, is just beginning. So, keep an eye and ear out for these amazing insects this summer.

For more information on cicadas, check out these links: Annual Cicada and Periodical Cicada.  Now is a great time to visit any of our conservation areas to experience our wonderful native plants and animals. To learn more about cicadas, visit Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center, email us at Shoal.Creek@mdc.mo.gov or call 417-629-3434.. The Center is open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. We will be CLOSED on Wednesday, June 19 for Juneteenth, we will reopen on Thursday, June 20 at 9 a.m.