CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/12/11

Ga. history museum wants your alien-sounding bugs

By April Reese Sorrow, Sharon Dowdy

A science fiction enthusiast, Mark Hurley thought he had found the mother ship when he heard the sound resonating from the woods surrounding his Butts County home. He was disappointed to find the sound was actually the song of thousands of bugs.

The 13-year cicadas are crawling out of their hibernation across Georgia, just long enough to procreate. They will be active for the next six weeks. During that time they will have countless Georgians saying, “What is that sound?”

Hurley finally saw a live one. “I came home one day and found them lying on the driveway,” he said. “The birds were having a feast.”

Plant eaters

Cicadas are flying, plant-sucking insects. Adult cicadas grow as long as two inches and have prominent wide-set eyes, short antennae and clear wings held roof-like over their abdomen.

Annual cicadas, known for making the distinct summertime sound, are green with black eyes. Periodical cicada adults have vibrant red eyes and orange veined wings.

Periodical cicada species are synchronized; almost all of them mature into adults in the same year.

Loud singers

They are best known for their strange, piercing song, which the males make using special structures called tymbals found on the abdomen.

“These cicadas are pretty unusual. It is very unique to live underground for 13 years and then all emerge together, mate, lay eggs and repeat the cycle,” said Nancy Hinkle, an entomologist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

If you see periodical cicadas in the coming weeks, take a good look. Remember, you won’t have the chance to see another one until 2024.

Collect and mail them

If you do see them, the Georgia Natural History Museum would like to know. It is accepting 13-year cicada specimens from residents across the state.

To participate, collect at least six adult cicadas. “If the cicadas are not already dead, place them in the freezer overnight to kill them compassionately,” Hinkle said.

Wrap each one individually in tissue or cloth and place all of them in a mailing tube or box with additional padding. Include a note with your name, the town and county where they were collected and the date of collection.

Ship the cicada sample to the Georgia Natural History Museum, University of Georgia, Dr. Cecil Smith, 178 Natural History Building, Athens, Ga., 30602.

April R. Sorrow is a science writer with the University of Georgia Public Affairs Office.

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Authors:
April Reese Sorrow
Sharon Dowdy
Experts/Sources:
Nancy C. Hinkle
Unlike their annual cicada cousins, 13-year cicadas have bright red eyes and orange veined wings. Annual cicadas appear every summer - thus their name. Periodic cicadas, like the current 13-year cicada, only appear at certain intervals.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
University and state leaders cut the ribbon during the Science and Ag Hill dedication ceremony. (Chamberlain Smith/UGA) CAES News
UGA dedicates first phase of Science and Ag Hill modernization 11/01/24
The University of Georgia held a dedication ceremony on Oct. 30 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of renovations to modernize research and instruction facilities and infrastructure on UGA’s Science and Ag Hill. This area of campus, located just south of Sanford Stadium, includes buildings dedicated to a variety of scientific disciplines such as biology, physics, geology and agricultural sciences.
CAES doctoral students Sofia Varriano and Leniha Lagarde follow farmer Clay Brady to the pasture where many of his chickens are kept. CAES News
UGA researchers study how free-range chickens influence farm sustainability 10/31/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Researchers in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are studying how pastured and free-range chickens impact ecosystems on integrated crop-livestock farms. Supported by a $749,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, entomology doctoral student Sofia Varriano and her thesis advisor, agroecologist and systems biology Professor Bill Snyder, are testing the promise of integrated crop-livestock agriculture to increase the sustainability of smaller farms.
The study represents the most detailed and comprehensive picture to date of the health of the monarch fall migration in Eastern North America. (Photo courtesy of Pat Davis) CAES News
The monarch butterfly may not be endangered, but its migration is 10/22/24 Leigh Hataway
With vigorous debate surrounding the health of the monarch butterfly, new research from the University of Georgia may have answered the biggest question plaguing butterfly researchers. Why are the wintering populations declining while breeding populations are stable? Published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study suggests that monarchs are dying off during their fall migration south to Mexico.
Jennifer Berry, Apicultural Research Professional and Lab Manager for the UGA Honey Bee Program, recently achieved her Ph.D. and Triple Dawg status. She has been working with the Honey Bee Program at UGA for over 20 years. (Photo by UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.) CAES News
Queen bee: Berry turns a sweet hobby into research and impact 08/20/24 Brandon Ward
Jennifer Berry has always been interested in insects. As a child, she would spend time in the woods behind her house, fascinated by the multi-legged life that lived among the trees. In summers, Berry visited her grandparents’ Missouri farm, where her grandfather would take her to a buzzing tree to collect bits of honeycomb. After safely smoking out some of the bees, he would hold Berry up to see the hive and take a couple of small combs for them to enjoy. “I always wanted more,” she said.
LiceCheck CAES News
A back-to-school guide to the nitty-gritty on head lice 08/12/24 Allison Johnson
As students return to school, head lice often become a common concern for administrators and parents. Understanding how to prevent and manage head lice infestations is crucial for maintaining healthy environments in schools and at home. Allison Johnson, the Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator for the University of Georgia, provides essential information and advice to help mitigate the spread of this pesky pest.
European paper wasp on nest. CAES News
Ouch! What just bit me? 08/08/24 Elmer Gray
As autumn approaches and the stifling heat of summer begins to cool down, spending more time outdoors may be on your radar. But, as Georgia is home to many stinging and biting insects, fall fun can turn into a minefield of discomfort. Elmer Gray, a research entomologist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and specialist for UGA Cooperative Extension, shares information on some of the season's most common culprits, urging residents to stay vigilant and take preventive measures.