ye ~— 7 _— * je SB 818 C3768 ENT oO. 74. ited States Department of Agriculture, BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY, L. O. HOWARD, Entomologist and Chief of Bureau. THE PERIODICAL CICADA IN 1906. (Tibicen septendecim L.) By C. L. MARLATT, Entomologist and Acting Chief in Absence of Chief. Two broods of the periodical cicada will reappear this year, one an important and widely distributed seventeen-year brood and the other an unimportant, small, and scattering thirteen-year brood. SEVENTEEN-YEAR BROOD XIV. The localities where this brood may be expected are indicated on the map (fig. 2) on page 3. This brood has a peculiar interest, inasmuch as it is the one which was first noted, or recorded in literature at least, by the early European colonists on this continent. The earliest mention of this peculiar insect is that given in the work enti- tled “‘New England’s Me- moriall,’’? by Nathaniel Moreton, printed at Cam- bridge, Mass., in 1669. The following | tran- Fig. 1 —The periodical cicada (Tibicen septendecim): a, scription of this account. adult; b, same, side view: c, shed pupal skin. Natu- ral size (original). reproduced from Bulletin No. 14, new series, of this Bureau, is taken from an editorial note to an article on the “‘ Locust of North America’’ in the Barton Medical and Physical Journal of 1804 (Vol. I, pp- 52-59). Referring to Moreton, the editor says: IoD Speaking of a sickness which, in 1635, carried off many of the whites and Indians, in and near to Plimouth [Plymouth], in Massachusetts, he says, ‘‘ It is to be observed, that the Spring before this Sickness, there was a numerous com- pany of Flies, which, were like for bigness unto Wasps or Bumble-Bees, they came out of little holes in the ground, and did eat up the green things, and made such a constant yelling noise as made all the woods ring of them, and ready to deaf the hearers; they were not any of them heard or seen by the English in 2 the Country before this time: But the Indians told them that sickness would follow, and so it did, very hot in the months of June, July and August of that Summer,’’ viz. 1633. Hesays, ‘‘ Toward Winter the sickness ceased ;’’ and that it was ‘a kinde of a pestilent Feaver.’’—New England’s Memoriall, &¢., pp. 90 and 91. The fact noted, that the native Indians associated the recurrences of this insect with pestilential diseases, is interesting as showing that the cicada had probably long been under observation by them and had exerted a vivid influence on their imaginations. Doctor Riley, referring to this record in his account of the periodical cicada, written in 1868, indicates that the year here mentioned is prob- ably an erroneous record, as shown by the subsequent reappearances in the same locality; in other words, the date assigned was doubtless 1654 instead of 1633. The first publication of this record thirty-five years alter its occurrence would give ample leeway for an error of this nature. There is, of course, the possibility that the occurrence recorded by More- ton was a premature one, but a mistake of one year in the date is a more reasonable explanation. The subsequent recurrences of this brood for the years 1651, 1668, 1685, 1702, 1719, 1786, 1753, and 1770 appear not to have been recorded; but the later ones, namely, for 1787, 1804, 1821, 1838, 1855, 1872, and 1889 have been definitely reported. Our knowledge of the extent of this brood, up to 1889, is practically based upon Doctor Fitch’s observations in 1885 in the account of his third brood, since its reappearance in 1872 did not, apparently, attract any attention. Doctor Fitch, however, confused this seventeen-year brood with the great ¢redecim brood which occurred in 1855, the year of his record, and the exact dividing line between the two broods is still open to question. In asking for reports on the occurrence of this brood in 1889 Riley and Howard gave its extent as follows: The region commences in southeastern Massachusetts, extends south across Long Island and along the Atlantic coast of New Jersey, Delaware, and Mary- land as far as Chesapeake Bay; then up the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to a point a little below Harrisburg; thence westward in Ohio, embracing the southwestern corner of the State and the northwestern portion of Kentucky, and then upward through southwestern Indiana, ending in central Illinois. It is possible also that there is an eastward extension of the region from Kentucky into southern West Virginia, as cicadas occurred in 1855 in the Kanawha Valley, and also in the counties of Buncombe and McDowell, in North Carolina; but as these appearances were not verified in 1872, it is probable that they belonged to Brood XVIII, which is of the thirteen-year race. The distribution of this brood, as given below, is reproduced from Bulletin No. 14, referred to above, and is based on the records given by Riley and Howard, with such additions and corrections as were gained from the records of 1889, Prof. J. B. Smith adding some records from New Jersey, Dr. William A. Buckout defining its limits in Penn- sylvania, and Mr. E. A. Schwarz and others adding various localities. 9 Vv The distribution, by States and counties, is as follows: istrict of Columbia.—Throughout. Georgia.—Gordon, Habersham, Rabun, Towns, Union, White. Illinois.—Boone, Jo Daviess, Lake, McHenry, McLean, Putnam, Stephenson, Winnebago. Indiana.—Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Pike, Posey, Sullivan, Vanderburg, Vigo, Warrick. Kentucky.—Adair, Allen, Bath, Bourbon, Boyd, Breckinridge, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clinton, Cumberland, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Franklin, Greenup, Jack- son, Jefferson, Laurel, Lewis, McLean, Madison, Mason, Metcalfe, Montgomery, Owsley, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Shelby, Trimble, Wayne. Maryland.—Washington. << o o o o v v F1G. 2.—Map showing distribution of Broods XIV and XVIII, 1906. The black disks are the records of the Seventeen-year Brood XIV (Riley VIII), and the circles in the States of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina are of the small Thirteen-year Brood XVIII (Riley XVI). Massachusetts.—Barnstable, Plymouth. New Jersey.—Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Gloucester, Mercer. New York.—On Long Island. North Carolina.—Buncombe, Caldwell, Haywood(?), McDowell, Madison. Ohio.—Adams, Brown, Butler, Clinton, Gallia, Hamilton, Highland, Law- rence, Meigs, Scioto(?), Warren. Pennsylvania.—Adams, Berks, Blair, Center, Chester, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union, York. South Carolina.—Edgefield. Tennessee.—Bledsoe, Claiborne, Robertson. Virginia.—Alexandria, Wise. West Virginia.—Kanawha, Logan, Wood. | It is very desirable to have the records for this brood confirmed with its occurrence this year, and accompanying this circular, therefore, a reply card is sent on which any information relating to this brood may be recorded as indicated on the card. A negative record is often quite as valuable as one of actual occurrence. Inasmuch as the periodical cicada does not appear, as a rule, until about the last week of May, it is well not to fill out the cards or return them before the middle of June. Later than the middle of June there is danger of confusion with the annual species of cicada, which will then begin to appear. THIRTEEN-YEAR BROOD XVIII. A very seattering brood of the thir- teen-year race of the periodical cicada appears this year in conjunction with the much larger and more widely dis- tributed seventeen-year brood. This thirteen-year brood is based on the tes- timony of Dr. G. B. Smith, who gives a record of its occurrence in Cherokee County, Ga., in 1828, 1841, and 1854. Dr. J. G. Morris recorded its appear- ance in the same locality also in 1867. This is Doctor Riley’s Brood XVI, and some additional records were added by him, so that it is now known in four States. occurring, however, in scattered localities. The localities for this brood as listed by Doctor Riley are given be- low. None of them were verified in 1893, but an additional and very doubtful Fig. 3.—Egg punctures of the periodical locality — Montgomery County, NG) — cicada: a, twig showing recent punec- tures, from front and side, and illustra- ting manner of breaking; b, twig show- It is very desirable to have confir- o Le Y “eS y "“etract ° 2 ey.s . ae es ae Pipa et et te mation of all the localities mentioned rangement of fibers. Naturalsize (after for this brood, and persons recelving Riley). was reported. this circular throughout the region rep- resented will confer a great favor by reporting any occurrences which may come to their notice. Any periodical cicadas appearing in the higher elevations in the mountain regions of the States referred to will probably be of the seventeen-year race, but emergences at low levels will very likely belong to the thirteen-year brood. The distribution, by States and counties, is as follows: A labama.—Lowndes, Montgomery (?). Georgia.—Cherokee, Cobb. North Carolina.—Lincoln, Moore. Tennessee.—Lincoln. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. The periodical cicada is so well known that a general account of it in this place is unnecessary. The illustration (fig. 1) will recall it to any- one who has ever observed it. When it appears in great numbers it naturally causes considerable alarm and arouses fears for the safety of shade trees and orchards. The actual damage, however, is usually slight, except in the case of newly planted orchards, and even here, by rigorous pruning back after the cicada has disappeared, much of the injury caused by the egg punctures (fig. 3) can be obviated. As a mat- ter of precaution, however, it might be well not to locate new orchards this spring in recently cleared ground or in proximity to woods in any of the regions where the cicada is here recorded. In many cases, how- ever, the clearing up and cultivation of the ground will have destroyed the larvee of the cicada, and it may not appear. The exact date of emergence of the adult cicadas from the ground will vary somewhat with the season. The experience of many years, however, indicates that most of the individuals will come out during the last week in May. Very frequently the holes through which the cicadas will emerge will appear in the soil some weeks before the insects actually come out. These holes are a little larger around than a lead pencil and are frequently so numerous as absolutely to cover the sur- face of the ground. . If there be any doubt as to the identity of the cicada, especially from records made about or at the middle of June, it would be well to send specimens for identification along with the record. It is hoped that everyone who receives this circular will keep a sharp lookout for swarms of this brood of cicada and assist the Bureau in fixing its range accu- rately by sending prompt and explicit information. Bulletin No. 14, new series, of this Bureau will be mailed to anyone desiring further information on the periodical cicada. Approved: JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture. WASHINGTON, D. C., April 16, 1906. O SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES wil