How to Find

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How to Find

WHERE AND HOW TO FIND CICADAS: Perhaps some of you are wondering how I obtain most of my cicada photos or simply would like to observe this wonderful insect up close? Well, here are some tips...

LOCATING THE MAGICICADA: Locating members of this Genus is actually very easy. There are no tricks involved at all. Merely check out my "Brood Maps" link (above) and it will give you maps of when and where they will appear. And if you are in/or near an emergence area... Not to worry, they won't be hard to find! Simply follow the constant sound to the nearest woodlands and you'll find thousands, perhaps millions all at once! Talk about cicada overload, ah? Magicicadas prefer forest clearings which is where you'll find the majority of the population. They always appear in large numbers in order to satiate predators and can be found on the ground, on fences, grasses, houses, and especially in trees.

Since Magicicadas are "predator foolhardy," they won't be hard to collect. Most occasions, you can walk right up to them and pick them up. They won't bite or sting you, but if it's a male cicada, be forewarned... It will give off an alarming "squawk!" If the first one you see flies away, don't be worried, that's just their instinct for survival. Cicadas are like people, some are smarter than others. Keep looking, there will be more. And remember, Magicicadas begin appearing in late April to early May in the Southern states and late May to early June in the northern states. Once they start emerging, they will be around for approximately six weeks....

LOCATING THE TIBICEN: Now here's a real challenge! Tibicens are found across the country and begin appearing in late June to mid July and will continue to emerge as late as early September. Tibicens are NOT predator foolhardy like their Magicicada cousins. With the approach of danger, Tibicens take off in a hurry! Often when I accidentally stumble across one, if its a male, it will give off a shrill audible alarm, prior to taking to wing. Tibicens are noisy flyers and are clumsy when it comes to landing. When they flap their wings, the sound reminds me of placing a playing card into the spokes of a bike. When they come to a suitable tree, they can be heard crashing through the smaller twigs before resting on a branch. Tibicens often don't believe in evasive maneuvers.

When I was younger, I used to climb the trees where a male or two was singing and slowly climbed toward the singing insect. I moved very slow. Too quick of movement would startle them. Once I was within several feet of the insect, I would wait patiently. While the male sings, he usually walks about in between notes. When the cicada crawls within reaching distance, I would cup my hands and lash out. 50% of the time, I was successful in catching them with my bare hands. The male would give off an alarm call which is a constant screeching, enough to attract attention from all your neighbors. Since male Tibicens are larger than Magicicadas, their alarm "squawks" are twice as loud and you can feel the vibration from their sounds traveling through your fingers. If you absolutely have to climb the trees, use a standard butterfly net. However, I wouldn't suggest climbing trees at all. This method can be extremely dangerous and possibly cause serious injury if you fall. I recommend you DO NOT CLIMB THE TREES.

Sometimes Tibicens will sit and sing on smaller trees and lower vegetation. If you hunt for these Tibicens using a long handled butterfly net, remember to MOVE VERY SLOW. Slow movement will not startle them. Inch towards them a little at a time. You will be rewarded by your patience.

The best method in locating the Tibicen is by catching them prior to or just after they emerge from their last nymphal skin. Pine trees are a favorite among Tibicens, so check in neighborhoods where older pine trees are located. Tibicens have adapted well to city life. So finding them in towns won't be too hard. Also check in areas such as parks or cemeteries where the older trees are virtually undisturbed. You'll probably find the best emergences there. Tibicens generally emerge at night when their predators are the least active. Since most cities and cemeteries prohibit night time visitors, you can actually find them emerging after 5:00pm or very early in the morning after sunrise. Only rarely will they emerge during the mid afternoon. The closer to nightfall, the better your chances of locating a nymph crawling across the ground or one clinging to a tree trunk ready to emerge or partially emerged. Check under those trees where their shells are found in good numbers. Once you locate a few shells, keep checking daily and nightly... Chances are more will emerge under this same tree. Another great time to check would be after a rain fall or when the ground is damp. Nymphs seem to emerge better when the ground is moist and their emergence holes will become more apparent. This is also the reason Magicicadas build their chimneys prior to their emergence in order to elude this ground moisture. Since Tibicens don't build huts (At least, I have never located one!), they'll simply emerge and begin their adult life. PLEASE NOTE: Do NOT disturb a cicada if their molting process has already begun. Outside interference can prevent the cicada from emerging successfully, cause deformities on the insect's body, or even death. This is a very delicate moment in the cicada's life, please appreciate their beauty and be patient. Once their wings expand and dry, you'll have a perfect specimen. Like other cicada species, they won't be strong flyers for a couple of hours. Tibicens can fly somewhat even before their bodies have completely hardened or turned dark. So don't be careless in your handling of them at this later stage. If you locate a nymph crawling across the ground, be gentle and pick it up. Place it on a tree or a firm plant and watch it molt before you're very eyes! Its a fascinating sight to behold! Cicadas can be found molting an inch to over thirty feet off the ground. If you must go hunting at night, use a bright flash light. A Tibicens white body and glossy wings will reflect the lights and be very noticeable. If anyone has any questions about my locating methods, please send me an e-mail!


	Great Lakes Cicada Page \| home Introducing the Cicada \| Life Cycle \| 1999 Brood V Account \| My Journeys \| Magicicada Galleries \| Magicicada Gallery 2 \| Magicicada Nymphs \| Chimneys & Emergence Holes \| Magicicada Emergence \| Magicicada Emergence 2 \| Magicicadas Feeding \| Magicicada Mating \| Magicicada Ovipositing \| Eggs & Egg Damage \| Cicada Mortality \| Brood Maps \| Tibicen Galleries \| Tibicen Gallery 2 \| Tibicen Nymphs \| Tibicen Emergence \| Tibicen Emergence 2 \| Tibicen Feeding & Ovipositing \| Okanagana Galleries \| Field Guide \| How to Find \| Deterrence \| Armed Robbery??? \| My Story \| About Me \| Cicada Links \| The Future How to Find WHERE AND HOW TO FIND CICADAS: Perhaps some of you are wondering how I obtain most of my cicada photos or simply would like to observe this wonderful insect up close? Well, here are some tips... LOCATING THE MAGICICADA: Locating members of this Genus is actually very easy. There are no tricks involved at all. Merely check out my "Brood Maps" link (above) and it will give you maps of when and where they will appear. And if you are in/or near an emergence area... Not to worry, they won't be hard to find! Simply follow the constant sound to the nearest woodlands and you'll find thousands, perhaps millions all at once! Talk about cicada overload, ah? Magicicadas prefer forest clearings which is where you'll find the majority of the population. They always appear in large numbers in order to satiate predators and can be found on the ground, on fences, grasses, houses, and especially in trees. Since Magicicadas are "predator foolhardy," they won't be hard to collect. Most occasions, you can walk right up to them and pick them up. They won't bite or sting you, but if it's a male cicada, be forewarned... It will give off an alarming "squawk!" If the first one you see flies away, don't be worried, that's just their instinct for survival. Cicadas are like people, some are smarter than others. Keep looking, there will be more. And remember, Magicicadas begin appearing in late April to early May in the Southern states and late May to early June in the northern states. Once they start emerging, they will be around for approximately six weeks.... LOCATING THE TIBICEN: Now here's a real challenge! Tibicens are found across the country and begin appearing in late June to mid July and will continue to emerge as late as early September. Tibicens are NOT predator foolhardy like their Magicicada cousins. With the approach of danger, Tibicens take off in a hurry! Often when I accidentally stumble across one, if its a male, it will give off a shrill audible alarm, prior to taking to wing. Tibicens are noisy flyers and are clumsy when it comes to landing. When they flap their wings, the sound reminds me of placing a playing card into the spokes of a bike. When they come to a suitable tree, they can be heard crashing through the smaller twigs before resting on a branch. Tibicens often don't believe in evasive maneuvers. When I was younger, I used to climb the trees where a male or two was singing and slowly climbed toward the singing insect. I moved very slow. Too quick of movement would startle them. Once I was within several feet of the insect, I would wait patiently. While the male sings, he usually walks about in between notes. When the cicada crawls within reaching distance, I would cup my hands and lash out. 50% of the time, I was successful in catching them with my bare hands. The male would give off an alarm call which is a constant screeching, enough to attract attention from all your neighbors. Since male Tibicens are larger than Magicicadas, their alarm "squawks" are twice as loud and you can feel the vibration from their sounds traveling through your fingers. If you absolutely have to climb the trees, use a standard butterfly net. However, I wouldn't suggest climbing trees at all. This method can be extremely dangerous and possibly cause serious injury if you fall. I recommend you DO NOT CLIMB THE TREES. Sometimes Tibicens will sit and sing on smaller trees and lower vegetation. If you hunt for these Tibicens using a long handled butterfly net, remember to MOVE VERY SLOW. Slow movement will not startle them. Inch towards them a little at a time. You will be rewarded by your patience. The best method in locating the Tibicen is by catching them prior to or just after they emerge from their last nymphal skin. Pine trees are a favorite among Tibicens, so check in neighborhoods where older pine trees are located. Tibicens have adapted well to city life. So finding them in towns won't be too hard. Also check in areas such as parks or cemeteries where the older trees are virtually undisturbed. You'll probably find the best emergences there. Tibicens generally emerge at night when their predators are the least active. Since most cities and cemeteries prohibit night time visitors, you can actually find them emerging after 5:00pm or very early in the morning after sunrise. Only rarely will they emerge during the mid afternoon. The closer to nightfall, the better your chances of locating a nymph crawling across the ground or one clinging to a tree trunk ready to emerge or partially emerged. Check under those trees where their shells are found in good numbers. Once you locate a few shells, keep checking daily and nightly... Chances are more will emerge under this same tree. Another great time to check would be after a rain fall or when the ground is damp. Nymphs seem to emerge better when the ground is moist and their emergence holes will become more apparent. This is also the reason Magicicadas build their chimneys prior to their emergence in order to elude this ground moisture. Since Tibicens don't build huts (At least, I have never located one!), they'll simply emerge and begin their adult life. PLEASE NOTE: Do NOT disturb a cicada if their molting process has already begun. Outside interference can prevent the cicada from emerging successfully, cause deformities on the insect's body, or even death. This is a very delicate moment in the cicada's life, please appreciate their beauty and be patient. Once their wings expand and dry, you'll have a perfect specimen. Like other cicada species, they won't be strong flyers for a couple of hours. Tibicens can fly somewhat even before their bodies have completely hardened or turned dark. So don't be careless in your handling of them at this later stage. If you locate a nymph crawling across the ground, be gentle and pick it up. Place it on a tree or a firm plant and watch it molt before you're very eyes! Its a fascinating sight to behold! Cicadas can be found molting an inch to over thirty feet off the ground. If you must go hunting at night, use a bright flash light. A Tibicens white body and glossy wings will reflect the lights and be very noticeable. If anyone has any questions about my locating methods, please send me an e-mail!