The Periodical Cicada in Berks County, Pennsylvania

Brood X - 2004 Based on my location in Rockland Twp., the first 2004 emergence of the periodical cicada in Berks was Monday, May 17, 2004. Further emergence occurred on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Molting from nymph to adult takes place at night. In the areas where they are found you can look for molting cicadas after dark until past midnight. The newly emerged adults are white except for the red eyes and two black spots on the thorax. While drying, they are unable to fly and are easily approached. Drying lasts until mid morning or later when cool or rainy. Some photographs of this year's brood are below. The periodical cicadas (actually three species) can be told from the annual cicadas by their small size, red eyes, and occurrence in May and June rather than July and August.
All photographs on this page were taken May 17 - June 2, 2004. Originally posted May 20, 2004 with additions in June 2004. Further info

Adult with nymph shell.	Newly emerged adults at the top of a small juniper.
Linnaeus' Cicada has wide orange bands on the abdomen underside.	Cassin's cicada is black on the abdomen underside. The first Cassin's Cicadas were seen May 20, three days after the first Linnaeus' cicadas. This is a male.
Female laying eggs in slit cut on underside of twig. The ovipositor. can be seen behind the legs and is inserted in the twig.	Males produce their calls by vibrating membranes called tymbals. The white tymbals are located under the wings behind the attachment points of the hind wings and can be seen vibrating if the cicada makes its warning buzzing sound.
Molting takes place at night and the new adults are white with red eyes and two black spots on the abdomen.

Cicada and exuvia from the tiny fraction which emerge 4 years early on 13th year. 27 May 2017.	Looking forward to seeing them this year, 2021
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