Family: Cicadidae
Scientific Name: Magicicada percussaris
Common Name: Circadas
Location: WI, CA
Eyes: Red
Body: Black
Description: Discovered in 2016, Circadas spend the majority of their lives in larval form underground. After reaching maturity through a molting process, they emerge in swarms to congregate on the ground, in trees, and on man-made structures. The brood synchronizes their development in large numbers to overwhelm predators and ensure species survival.
While above ground, Circadas are completely dependent on the sun’s rays for sustenance, as they have no other means of producing or storing energy. Their percussive songs crescendo in proportion to the sun’s intensity: on a hot day, the males can produce a surprising volume by striking and grinding their tymbals against their abdomen. It is suspected they use their calls for mating, and to communicate availability of their solar life source. When cloudy, a cluster of Circadas falls silent to conserve energy—though when the sun reaches its peak, their calls multiply in a deafening, frenetic cacophony.