Cicadidae

Cicadoidea is a superfamily of insects in the order Hemiptera. They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers, Members in this family are most commonly recognized by the vernacular name of "Cicadas" or 'Jarflies' (in some parts of Appalachia). These are fairly large insects which are often confused for locusts and are famously known for their characteristic mating calls which are produced by the males.

Morphology

Cicadas are fairly large insects often being known to reach body lengths of roughly 2.5 cm, the largest species ever recorded is the Empress Cicada (Megapomponia imperatoria) with am impressive body length of 7 cm and a very large wingspan of 20 cm making it the largest cicada species to ever be recorded. Cicadas are primarily recognized by their rather oddly shaped heads along with prominent eyes and somewhat flattened bodies which are streamlined at the metasoma. They have conspicuously large wings which are folded over the body when the insect is at rest. cicadas typically have very filamentous and reduced antennae.

Colouration

They vary in colouration but most species tend to display crypsis in order to avoid detection by predators they typically have brown or red eyes and may or may not have any form of pigmentation on their wings, mostly they occur in colorations of black, brown and occasionally green. There are certain exceptions to this with certain species just as Tacua speciosa, a species of cicada native to southeast asia which is remarkable for having a raven-black colouration along with wings of the same coloration, but is distinctive for it's gaudy markings, teal, yellow and red harmoniously contrasting with the midnight black body like spectacular jewels. another species notable for it's coloration is Ayuthia spectabile, known by various yet equally befitting names such as Milky cicada, white cicada or most famously "ghost cicada" which is fairly apt considering the ghostly pale colouration of the wings, which are partially a milky hue of white the body of this species is cobalt blue or orange with black markings, the wings of this species are quite watchsome, appearing to be partially dipped in milk. Additionally species of cicadas in the genus Zammara are often noteworthy for their conspicuous, Azure colouration adorned with several black marks, the unmistakable ultramarine colouration of these species bear the likeliness of ocean waves and turquoise jewels.

Mouthparts

Cicadas tend to possess large tapering mouthparts known as "rostrum" which pertain to hypodermic needles not only in terms of structure but also functionality, with the insects diet being primarily made of sap extracted from the xylem tissues of various host plants, the rostrum allows easy penetration through the bark or stem of host plants in order to allow the insect to access the xylem tissue which are them furthermore pierced by the rostrum, the rostrum is then used to siphon the sap providing nourishment to the insect.

Wings

The wings of cicadas hold unique and noteworthy properties, apart being meticulously veined and more often than not stained in various hues, cicada fore wings are made up of millions of minute microscopic cones and blunt spikes which essentially cover them with a suprhydrophobic film which is highly repellent to water, when water droplets fall on the wings they are repelled and collect dust present on the wings cleaning them, when dew drops aggregate on the wings the cicadas tend to leap several millimeters into the air, this also serves a special function at keeping the wings of the cicada clean, additionally bacteria landing on the surface of the wings are not repelled, instead, their fragile membranes are pierced by the blunt spikes on the wings this essentially makes cicada wings as the first ever biomaterial that can kill bacteria.

Relationship with humans

Affects on agriculture ; horticulture

Cicadas aren't considered as being any major pest to plants. they use their sharp rostrums (mouthparts) to penetrate the xylem tissues of trees and extract sap from the tree bark additionally when females lay their eggs, they tend to deposit them in slits in barks of trees made using their rostrums these slits can damage the tree bark and then lead to something known as "flagging" in trees which is noted by a falling of chunks of bark from the tree trunks.

Bites

Adult cicadas have not been known bite humans unless they are allowed to remain on someone long enough to mistake a part of the human body for a part of a plant, having a rather sharp rostrum does make their bite rather painful but not as much as compared with other species in the same order.

Culinary importance

Although it may occur as rather disgusting to some, cicadas do indeed hold immense culinary importance, their shells are often used for preparation of various Greek cuisines, Accord to some cicadas tend to have a taste that is "meaty, wonderfully crunchy, a bit nutty and all-around delicious." Some others often compare the likeliness of their culinary flavor to that of asparagus or shrimp.^{[citation needed]}

Significance in Mythology and Symbolisms

Cicadas are amply represented in cultures from across the globe with a rich variety of symbolic representations occuring in a wide array of ways ranging from ancient depictions of cicadas in inscriptions, Sects etc. They are most amply represented in East Asian culture. In Chinese culture, their 13-27 year cycles of periodic ; synchronous emergence (Discussed further in this article under the section 'Periodical cicadas') Representing Rebirth and Immortality. Upon emergence as nymphs, the nymphs cling onto tree barks or branches and split open their exoskeleton (Ecdysis) and allow the newly pterous (winged) adult to emerge, the old exuviae being left behind dead in corner represents death of past and leaving behind old ways. In Japan cicadas are typically associated with summer, the loud mating calls of the males are the voice of the summer's arrival.

Golden Cicada

In Buddhist literature, 'Tan Sanzang' who is a reincarnation of the golden cicada, Who during Buddha's preaching's let his mind wander about and was banished to the mortal world and cursed to suffer 10 incarnations in a row, one of these 'vessels' was the monk Tan Sanzang.

Ontogeny

synopsis

The ontogeny and life cycles of cicadas is summarized as follows-- eggs are typically laid in a slit made by the adult cicadas after mating, after hatching the larvae enshroud themselves beneath the soil where the development of the cicada occurs for the first few phases of their life. The diet of the larvae throuh the earlier stages of their life comprises of sap from the roots of a tree, the larvae are typically a somewhat burnishes brass-like coloration, the prolegs of the nymph are modified into raptorial limbs which bear a vague resemblance to Mantodea species these provide the larvae with additional aid to borrow themselves underground. The bodies of the nymph are rotund and stout and impressions of underdeveloped wings are present on the thorax, cicadas are holometabolous although their life cycle lacks any pupal stage, (similar to the order Odonata) the nymphs upon attaining their final stage cling onto any anchoring point may it be a bark or a tree branch and undergo Ecdysis for the last time in their life cycle emerging a fully pterous adults.

Periodical cicadas

The term 'Periodical cicada' refers to any of the seven species of cicadas in the genus 'Magicicadae' these species are remarkably known for their astounding mass-emergences following a cycle of 13-17 years. A monumental swarm of cicada nymphs emerge among the lightless forest floor illuminated with nothing but scattered, pearlescent stains of moonlight casted across the forest understory, the whole swarm emerges every 13 or 17 years to perform one of the if not the most spell-binding synchronicities of nature, all of them undergo ecdysis synchronously, leaving behind nothing but old exuviae. Soon enough as the adults emerge and enable the flow of vitality pulsate through their wings transitioning them from lovely cyan and green hues to crystalline clear within a matter of moments, as the dawn comes the whole forest is shook with the echoes of romantic male cicadas, the immense sound propagates through the tree canopy and sweeps across the understory of the forests. This marvelous sight is indeed quite watchful yet inspection at a deeper level suggests that it also ensures as an immaculate survival strategy, the monumental mass emergence not only makes it an impossible feet for any hungry predator to consume the entire swarm but also the occurrence of this emergence at he end of 13-17 years also makes these cicadas unreliable as a (primary) food source. (Afterall no predators can starve themselves for 13 years!!)