A cicada is a large, noisy insect known for its powerful, high-pitched song and long life cycle spent underground. These insects have prominent, wide-set eyes and transparent wings held roof-like over their stout bodies. Florida is home to multiple species of these insects.
The Definitive Answer: Florida’s Cicada Population
Florida’s cicada population is dominated by annual cicadas, including species from genera such as Neotibicen and Diceroprocta. The state has approximately 16 to 19 known species, found across a wide geographic range from the Panhandle down to the Florida Keys. These large, often green, brown, or black insects are most often seen or heard during the late spring and summer months.
Species like the Hieroglyphic cicada (Neocicada hieroglyphica) and the Olympic scrub cicada (Diceroprocta olympusa) are among the most widespread and noticeable. Males create their distinctive calls by rapidly vibrating specialized drum-like membranes called tymbals, located on the sides of their abdomen. This sound is often described as a continuous, droning buzz or a whine, used to attract a mate. Their shed nymphal skins, or exuviae, clinging to tree trunks and shrubs, are another common sign of their activity.
Distinguishing Annuals from Periodicals
The distinction between annual and periodical cicadas is rooted in the synchronization of their life cycles. Annual cicadas have some individuals emerge as adults every year, meaning there is no single massive, synchronized emergence. Although the name suggests a one-year life span, individual annual cicadas spend multiple years developing underground, typically between two and five years.
Periodical cicadas, belonging to the genus Magicicada, are famous for their unique life history where nearly an entire local population emerges simultaneously every 13 or 17 years. This synchronized emergence results in billions of insects appearing at once, a phenomenon that does not occur in Florida. The state is outside the projected range of these mass-emerging periodical species, which are concentrated further north in the eastern United States.
The possibility of seeing a periodical cicada in Florida is extremely low, as the state’s cicadas do not follow the 13- or 17-year emergence schedule. While there is some historical, unverified evidence of a marginal presence in the Panhandle, Florida is overwhelmingly dominated by the non-synchronous annual types. Therefore, the loud, mid-summer buzzing heard across the state is a result of the annual emergence, not the large-scale spectacle seen elsewhere.
Life Cycle and Timing in the Sunshine State
The annual cicadas found in Florida are often called “Dog-Day” cicadas because their adult emergence coincides with the hottest part of the summer. Their presence is most noticeable from late spring, with some species appearing in April, through the late summer months of July and August. The males’ loud, distinctive calls serve as a consistent soundtrack to the state’s summer heat.
The life of a cicada begins when the female lays eggs by inserting them into the woody tissue of small branches. Once the eggs hatch, the tiny nymphs drop to the ground and immediately burrow into the soil using their strong front legs. These nymphs spend their multi-year existence underground, feeding by sucking nutrient-poor xylem sap from the roots of trees and other plants.
After molting four times underground, the mature nymph makes its way to the surface, climbs a vertical structure, and molts a fifth and final time to emerge as a winged adult. The adult stage above ground is brief, lasting only a few weeks to mate and lay eggs. This staggered development ensures that new adult cicadas are present every year, maintaining the consistent summer soundtrack.