: j te COURTESY TLL. NAT. HIST. SURV. 
FIGURE 17.—The periodical cicada, Magicicada septendecim: A, Adults 
on the bark of a tree; B, oviposition scars in branch of tree. 
full-grown they emerge to begin a new cycle, usually leaving the 
ground during the night. Emergence may begin as early as the 
last week of April in the South and as late as the last week in 
May in the North. 
A few days after the adults appear, the males begin drumming 
or singing. During outbreaks the sound is loud and incessant, lit- 
erally deafening in wooden areas. The chorus begins at dawn and 
the volume increases as the temperature rises. It ceases at 
evening. 
Cicada adults cause no visible feeding damage. In contrast, the 
egg-laying habits of the female may cause serious damage, es- 
pecially to young, transplanted trees in nurseries and orchards. 
Some damage also results to older trees. Damaged twigs wilt, and 
some break at damaged points. Methods of control are discussed 
in U.S. Department of Agriculture Leaflet No. 540 issued in 1966 
2A): 
Magicicada cassint (Fisher) also occurs in Eastern United 
States. In Kansas, it is found mainly in streamside habitats in 
lowland forests. Tibicen canicularis (Harr.) has been reported 
causing serious damage in white spruce plantations on poor sites 
in Quebec. 
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