Annual Dog-Day Cicada

Annual Cicadas and Their Intimidating Wasp Nemesis

During this week’s Tuesday morning BYGL Zoom Inservice, Curtis Young (OSU Extension, Van Wirt County) reported that he heard the first Annual Cicadas (family Cicadidae) singing in northwest Ohio. Curtis noted they are about 1 week overdue since he normally hears them in his neck of the woods over the 4th of July Weekend. The cicadas are also singing in the southwest part of the state.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Annual Cicadas are Here. What About Their Killers?

During this week’s Tuesday morning BYGL Zoom Inservice, Curtis Young (OSU Extension, Van Wirt County) reported that he heard the first Annual Cicadas (family Cicadidae) this season singing in northwest Ohio over the 4th of July Weekend.  Likewise, I heard my first cicadas in the southwest part of the state this past Friday.

 

Annual cicadas share several behavioral traits with their periodical cicada (Magicicada spp.) cousins.  The nymphs of both types of cicadas develop...

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Periodical Cicadas Depart and Dog-Day Cicadas Arrive … with Their Killers

Brood X (10) of the 17-year Periodical Cicadas (Magicicada spp.; family Cicadidae) have come and gone in Ohio leaving behind oviposition damage (flagging) as a reminder of their spring fling. Annual Dog-Day Cicadas (Neotibicen canicularis; family Cicadidae) are now arriving on the scene along with their nemesis, Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius speciosus).
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Dog-Day Cicadas, Cicada Killers, and Other Big Stingers

Annual Dog-Day Cicadas (Neotibicen canicularis; family Cicadidae) are singing in Ohio. Curtis Young (OSU Extension, Van Wirt County) heard his first cicada on July 3. Dave Shetlar (Professor Emeritus, OSU Entomology) reported hearing his first cicada in central Ohio last Friday and I heard my first cicada song late last week in the southwest part of the state.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Alert Reissued: Cicada Killers

I posted a BYGL Alert on July 20 regarding Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius speciosus) cruising lawns and landscapes in southwest Ohio.  However, since that time, I've been slammed with reports and questions concerning these "giant wasps."  So, I'm reissuing my cicada killer report; it appears there are some very heavy localized populations.

 

These large wasps are the nemesis of Dog-Day Cicadas (Tibicen spp.), so it is no coincidence that they appear on the scene when dog-day cicadas emerge.  Cicada killers are the largest wasps found in Ohio, measuring 1 1/...

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Authors
Joe Boggs

Annual Dog-Day Cicada Emergence

Annual dog-day cicadas (Tibicen spp.; family Cicadidae) are emerging in southwest Ohio.  Like periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.; family Cicadidae), these cicadas also develop underground with the nymphs sucking juices from tree roots.  However, periodical cicadas require 13 or 17 years to complete their development with adults emerging en masse in the spring, usually beginning around mid-to-late May and ending in June.  Indeed, eastern Ohio, parts of West Virginia, and the extreme southwest part of Pennsylvania experienced the emergence of Brood V 17-year periodical...

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Authors
Joe Boggs