Cicada Collection
Thank you for participating in our cicada citizen science study. Please read the following directions carefully.
Collection Instructions
Please collect 5 – 10 individuals of periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) from a single location. Collect dead ones – Believe us when we tell you that the dead cicadas will be easy to come by, particularly 1-2 weeks after the onset of emergence.
Note that we are only collecting periodical cicadas – recognizable by their bright red eyes, black bodies and orange wing venation. We do not want any of the green and black annual “dog-day” cicadas. Admire them, but do not send them.
Do not collect cicadas with crinkled or torn wings.
We recommend placing cicadas in a small plastic container – like those you pick-up at the deli counter or with restaurant takeout. You could also send in a sealable Ziploc bag, but please place bag in a small box surrounded with tissue paper or bubble wrap so that the cicadas do not get jostled, damaged, or crushed during transport.
We will gladly accept cicadas collected by a single individual, family, or classroom from multiple locations. But PLEASE keep cicadas collected at each location in separate, marked containers.
**Update 6/5/2013: We learned a few things while collecting in Greensboro, NC, this week and have shared a few collecting pro-tips in blog post.**
