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Their ecological functions include: sustenance for birds and other predators, soil aerators, soil nutrient mixers, tree- pruacra." • s. s their supposed association with plagues arid war? A. When early American settlers observed a periodical cicada emergence, they associated the event with the Biblical “locust” plagues, and reported that the insects were feeding on their corn crops. This, of course, was an impossibility, as adult cicadas don’t cause any damage by their limited feeding activity. (They only live for a week or two after they crawl out of the ground.)
Their red eyes, red wingveins, and W-shaped venation pattern were the basis for the “war” myths.
6. How do they make all that noise?
A. A single cicada isn't capable of a really loud noise. But the collective effort of thousands of insects, whirring and droning together* in monotonous dissonance, is audible from a great distance.
Male cicadas are the ones that do the “singing.” They have sound chambers and vibrating membranes, operated by powerful muscles, located at the base of the abdomen. (These membranes are visible.)
7. They are supposed to stay underground for 17 years, but I see them more often that that.
A. More than a dozen distinct broods are known. In areas where only one brood exists, periodical cicadas won’t be observed in great numbers any more often than every 17 years.
Emergencies are more frequent in areas where 2 or more broods exist. Also, there are always a few “early” or "late risers” within any particular brood. Due to heavy predation, the handful of insects that emerge in the “off’ years
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