Locust vs Cicada: Uncovering the Key Differences

folder_openHemiptera, Insecta
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Locusts and cicadas are both insects that often garner attention due to their unique lifecycles and, at times, their propensity for causing damage. However, it’s essential to recognize that these creatures are not the same and belong to different insect groups.

Locusts are a type of grasshopper, characterized by their long, powerful hind legs, antennas, and large wings. They are known for their destructive behavior when they form massive swarms during their infrequent population explosions. On the other hand, cicadas are part of the true bug family, featuring black bodies, large red-brown eyes, and membranous wings with orange veins. They are known for their loud courting sounds made by adult males and unique appearance.

While both locusts and cicadas can be seen as pests in some situations, their impact on the environment and human life can vary significantly. Locust swarms have the potential to devastate agriculture, while cicadas’ physical damage is usually limited to minor twig injuries, known as flagging. So, understanding their differences is essential for managing these insects appropriately.

Locusts vs Cicadas: Basic Overview

Classification and Relation to Other Insects

Locusts and cicadas both belong to the insect class, but they are quite different in many aspects. Locusts are a type of grasshopper, belonging to the order Orthoptera, while cicadas belong to the order Hemiptera and are more closely related to leafhoppers and spittlebugs12.

Physical Appearance

Locusts:

  • Long, powerful back legs for jumping
  • Can have short or long wings, depending on phase

Cicadas:

  • Larger and bulkier than locusts
  • Prominent eyes, placed wide apart on the head
  • Transparent, veined wings, with a characteristic shape

Life Cycle and Lifespan

Locusts:

Locusts go through three stages in their life cycle – egg, nymph, and adult. Their lifespan usually lasts about several weeks to a few months, depending on environmental conditions.

Cicadas:

Cicada life cycles are more diverse than locusts’:

  • Dogday cicadas: typical lifespan is 2-5 years3
  • Periodical cicadas: emerge every 13 or 17 years4

Comparison Table

Feature Locusts Cicadas
Order Orthoptera Hemiptera
Family Acrididae (for most species) Cicadidae
Related to Grasshoppers Leafhoppers, spittlebugs
Lifespan Several weeks to few months 2-5 years (Dogday), 13 or 17 years (Periodical)
Stages in life cycle Egg, nymph, adult Egg, nymph, adult
Distinct physical features Powerful back legs Wide-set eyes, transparent veined wings

Behavior and Habits

Swarming and Solitary Behavior

  • Cicadas: These insects are typically solitary, living underground as nymphs before emerging to molt1.
  • Locusts: They can exhibit both solitary and gregarious behavior, transforming into swarming locusts under certain conditions2.
  Cicadas Locusts
Solitary Yes Yes
Gregarious No Yes, in swarms3

Mating and Reproduction

Cicadas

  • Males produce sounds to attract females for mating4.
  • After mating, females lay eggs in plant tissue, with nymphs hatching and falling to the ground1.

Locusts

  • Their mating and reproduction processes are similar to other grasshoppers2.
  • Serotonin levels increase in locusts during the gregarious phase5.

Feeding Patterns

Cicadas

  • Nymphs feed on plants’ root fluids while underground1.
  • Adults consume mostly plant sap4.

Locusts

  • Primarily feed on plants6.
  • Can cause widespread damage to crops during swarming2.

Impact on the Environment

Destruction to Crops and Plants

Locusts are notorious for the destruction they cause to crops and vegetation. In East Africa, these insects have devoured thousands of hectares of farmland and forests, threatening food security for millions across the region1. Cicadas, on the other hand, are not harmful to humans, pets, household gardens, or crops2.

  • Locusts: Cause massive damage to crops and vegetation
  • Cicadas: Harmless to crops and gardens

Population Fluctuations and Plagues

Locust swarms have been linked to famine and human migration throughout history3. In recent years, outbreaks have reached their worst levels in decades, with hundreds of billions of locusts emerging in East Africa4. Cicadas are known for their periodical, predictable life cycles, appearing in North America every 13 or 17 years2. Unlike locusts, they do not form destructive swarms.

Insects Population Fluctuations
Locusts Outbreaks can reach massive levels, causing widespread destruction
Cicadas Periodical life cycles, non-destructive

Ecological Role and Environmental Adaptations

Both locusts and cicadas play important roles in their respective ecosystems. Locusts are herbivores, consuming large amounts of vegetation, while cicadas feed on tree sap2. Due to their differences in food sources and behavior, their environmental adaptations also vary significantly.

Locusts typically thrive in regions experiencing unusual weather patterns, such as heavy rainfall, which promotes rapid vegetation growth, providing the insects with an abundant food source5. Cicadas, conversely, are more prevalent in North American forests during springtime2.

  • Locusts: Thrive in regions with abnormal weather patterns
  • Cicadas: Appear in North American forests in spring

Distinctive Features and Comparison

Size, Color, and Shape

  • Locusts are part of the Orthoptera family, which includes grasshoppers. They typically range from 0.5 to 3 inches in length and have a slim, elongated body shape.
  • Cicadas, from the family Cicadidae, are larger insects measuring 1 to 1.5 inches long with stout bodies.
Feature Locust Cicada
Size 0.5 to 3 inches 1 to 1.5 inches
Body Shape Slim & elongated Stout

Wings and Flight Patterns

  • Locust wings are designed for long-distance migration and are clear or translucent with green or brown hues.
  • Cicada wings are broad, membranous with orange veins, and usually folded over their back like a tent when at rest.
  • Cicadas have a shorter flight range and weaker flight patterns compared to locusts.

Sounds, Songs, and Buzzing

  • Locusts produce minimal sounds, primarily generated by wing movement during flight, which is not audible to humans.
  • Cicadas create loud, buzzing sounds using their tymbals, reaching up to 120 decibels. Males use these sounds for courting and attracting females.
Feature Locust Cicada
Sound Source Wing movement Tymbals
Decibel Level Not audible Up to 120 decibels

A few examples of key differences:

  • Cicadas have large red-brown eyes, while locusts have smaller, less distinct eyes.
  • Locusts have long antennae, whereas cicadas have shorter antennae.

Comparing their characteristics:

  • Behavior: Cicadas are mainly known for their loud buzzy sounds and emergence after many years spent underground, while locusts are known for their destructive swarming behavior that can devastate crops.
  • Lifespan: Annual cicadas can spend 2-5 years as underground nymphs, and periodical cicadas have nymphal stages of 13 or 17 years. Locusts have shorter lifespans, often between several weeks and a few months, depending on the species.
  • Root-feeding: Cicada nymphs feed on root xylem fluids, while locust nymphs feed on grasses and other vegetation.

Notable Cicada and Locust Species

Periodical and Annual Cicadas

Periodical cicadas are known for their synchronized 17- or 13-year life cycles and dense choruses. They have striking black bodies, red eyes, and red wing veins. Annual cicadas, like the dogday cicada, are larger, have a green or brown body with black markings, and shorter life cycles.

  • Periodical cicada features:
    • Synchronized life cycles
    • Striking colors
    • Red eyes and wing veins
  • Annual cicada features:
    • Shorter life cycles
    • Green or brown body
    • Black markings

Examples include the genus Magicicada for periodical cicadas and Neotibicen canicularis (dogday cicada) for annual cicadas. Males of both types produce loud singing for mating purposes, using a specialized membrane on their bodies.

Short-Horned Grasshoppers and Desert Locusts

Short-horned grasshoppers and desert locusts belong to the family Acrididae within the order Orthoptera. While both insects have similarities like short antennae and hind legs for jumping, desert locusts have the ability to undergo dramatic behavioral changes when environmental conditions favor their population growth, leading to swarms that cause massive crop damage.

Comparison table:

Characteristics Short-Horned Grasshoppers Desert Locusts
Antennae length Short Short
Legs Hind legs for jumping Hind legs for jumping
Swarming behavior Rarely Frequently during favorable conditions
Agricultural impact Minimal Significant in swarms

Examples of short-horned grasshopper species are Melanoplus sanguinipes and Aulocara elliotti. A notorious example of a desert locust is Schistocerca gregaria.

Frequently Asked Questions and Misconceptions

Are They Dangerous or Aggressive?

Cicadas and locusts are not dangerous or aggressive to humans. Both insects primarily feed on plants and are generally harmless to people. However, they can cause some damage to vegetation:

  • Cicadas: Damage caused by females laying eggs on twigs may result in twig dieback (flagging)
  • Locusts: Can devour vegetation during swarms, affecting agriculture

Cicada Stings and Allergies

Cicadas are often mistaken for being capable of stinging, but this is not true. They are not true bugs and don’t have the ability to sting. Although rare, some individuals may experience allergic reactions to cicadas. These reactions typically involve skin irritation from handling the insects.

Do Cicadas and Locusts Go Extinct?

Neither cicadas nor locusts are at risk of extinction. Both insects exhibit unique life cycles that allow them to continue thriving:

Feature Cicadas Locusts
Diet Plant sap Plant leaves
Sting No No
Aggressive No No
Extinction Risk Low Low
Life Cycle 13 or 17 years Metamorphosis

In summary, cicadas and locusts are not dangerous or aggressive insects and neither is at risk of extinction. Cicadas don’t sting, but some people may experience allergies when handling them.

Footnotes

  1. Cicadas | Illinois Extension | UIUC 2 3 4 5
  2. Periodical and “Dog-Day” Cicadas | Ohioline 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  3. Dogday cicadas 2 3
  4. Periodical Cicadas | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 2 3 4
  5. Locust phase polyphenism: an update 2
  6. FAO – Locusts and other migratory pests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cherryeye Cicada

 

AKA Red Eye Cicada

 

Cicada

CicadaCicada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Authors

  • Bugman

    Bugman aka Daniel Marlos has been identifying bugs since 1999. whatsthatbug.com is his passion project and it has helped millions of readers identify the bug that has been bugging them for over two decades. You can reach out to him through our Contact Page.

    View all posts
  • Piyushi is a nature lover, blogger and traveler at heart. She lives in beautiful Canada with her family. Piyushi is an animal lover and loves to write about all creatures.

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Tags: Cicadas

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19 Comments. Leave new

  • can’t be good that the poor cicadas are screwed up..also i didn’t think that they stung?

    Reply
  • I found your wonderful site because my four-year-old son just found a cicada with red eyes on our kitchen steps, which we identified as the 17-year Linnaeus’s cicada in our Songs of Insects book, and I’m guessing we’re in the Brood II area, judging from the map in Songs of Insects. We are in central Virginia (Fluvanna County)–seems like this guy (he seems on the small side compared to the other cicadas we’ve seen here) is 4 years early?

    Reply
  • I don’t know if the cicadas actually have messed up time keeping. They might just be prepping for the switching of the poles in 2012. How long have we watched them anyway? Do we know that they always go about 17 years?

    Btw, while the earth is warming, it is not mainly from human activity. A lot or most of it is methane levels rising in the atmosphere. Methane is 25 times more powerful than CO2.
    http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/39973/113/

    Reply
  • CommanderBalok
    May 31, 2009 12:26 pm

    I can confirm that the periodical cicada will spear you. This happened to me when I had five or six of them on my hand a few years back (they last emerged here in Maryland in, I think, 2006). It was just about painful enough to be noticed. It was definitely the proboscis, and not a claw, in my case.

    Reply
  • I’m guessing that they recently moved into an area populated by these guys, or the cicadas are spreading, because it’s kinda hard to coexist with these guys and not know about them…

    Reply
  • We found the same thing on our back porch….

    Reply
  • When I lived in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California at about 3500′, the cicadas we had there matched your in size, appearance, and voice description. I would describe the call as being more like the clicking of a retractable ball-point pen than a finger snap, but perhaps we just are using different ways to describe the same noise.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for your input. Related species in the same genus have similar traits, including appearance and most likely calls.

      Reply
  • Here in Georgia they appear every year? The only way I can imagine them being in the ground for 13 to 17 years. Last year was a big year we sat on our porch and watched some mating, some were attaching to shrubs and trees. We even saw the white bodies with red eyes. So when I read it will be 13 to 17 years before we see them again I “laugh out loud” they come out EVERY year at least in Georga. I am not saying they were only in the ground a year. I am saying the ones we see this year in Georgia might have went under ground 13 years ago and the ones we will see next years could have lived there 13 years ago and so forth. But THEY APPEAR HERE EVERY YEAR. Here is Burke, Richmond, Columbia and Glascock County, I have live in these county and have heard their noise every year. Some times the noise in unbearable.

    Reply
    • You might have overlapping broods in your area. Periodical Cicadas do spend either 17 or 13 years undergound. Within broods, there are also some individuals with differing biological clocks.

      Reply
  • It looks like one of the cicadas in genus Platypedia. Maybe P. putnami?

    Reply
    • The range is correct, and the Platypediaspecies are smaller Cicadas, so it is possible. WE thought the mention of pine as a habitat for the Cicadas might assist in the identification, however, BugGuide does not mention pine in relation to Platypedia.

      Reply
  • I’m so glad I found this page! I saw these exact same bugs in the Sandias today and wondered what they were! Their sound was just like muted “clacking” to me.

    Reply
  • I live in Portland, Oregon. There is this strange bug that usually stays in one position rarely moving in the warm weather. It can fly, but mainly puts itself anywhere around and on the house. It’s about the size of a skinny thumb nail. It is pale brown in color, and has four legs. What is this?

    Reply
  • In South Africa you get a few strange bugs but one of these little buggers was bashing against the window screaming like an infuriated winged banshee. It was about the size of my thumb. Eventually it gave up and started doing that normal high pitched noise. Creepy

    Reply
  • Just a person
    March 6, 2017 5:11 am

    I saw my neighbors catching it and they decided to keep it but every time it gets grabbed my ears are killing me

    Reply
  • Thank you for the help!

    Reply
  • This is a neotibicen tibicen aka swamp cicada. The subspecies is neotibicen tibicen tibicen.

    Reply

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