{"id":14255,"date":"2025-11-06T03:28:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T03:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spiderzoon.com\/insects\/?p=14255"},"modified":"2025-11-06T03:28:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T03:28:18","slug":"cicada-vs-locust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spiderzoon.com\/insects\/cicada-vs-locust\/","title":{"rendered":"Cicada vs Locust? A Simple Guide to Spotting the Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every summer, the air fills with an unmistakable hum \u2014 the collective buzz of thousands of cicadas. To many people, that sound immediately brings one question to mind: are those locusts?<\/em> This confusion has existed for centuries, especially in North America, where the emergence of periodical cicadas<\/strong> happens only once every 13 or 17 years. Early settlers mistook these mass emergences for biblical locust plagues, a mix-up that still causes misunderstanding today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, cicadas and locusts are two entirely different types of insects. They belong to different families, have distinct behaviors, and play very different roles in the environment. Cicadas are harmless singers that feed on tree sap, while locusts are grasshoppers capable of forming massive swarms that devastate crops. This article breaks down the key differences \u2014 in sound, appearance, life cycle, and impact \u2014 to help you finally tell these insects apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cicadas and Locusts Are Not the Same Insect<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cicadas<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taxonomy and Classification<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cicadas and locusts may look and sound somewhat alike, but biologically, they come from completely separate branches of the insect world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Cicadas<\/strong> belong to the order Hemiptera<\/em>, the same group as aphids and leafhoppers. They\u2019re classified under the family Cicadidae<\/em> and are considered true bugs<\/em>, meaning they feed by piercing plants and sucking sap.
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  • Locusts<\/strong>, on the other hand, are a type of grasshopper<\/strong> from the order Orthoptera<\/em>, family Acrididae<\/em>. All locusts are grasshoppers, but not all grasshoppers are locusts \u2014 locusts are unique because they can change behavior and appearance when their populations explode, forming destructive swarms.
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    So while cicadas and locusts may share the same summer spotlight, they are no more related than butterflies are to beetles.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Origin of the Confusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The confusion goes back to colonial America. When early European settlers witnessed billions of red-eyed cicadas rising from the ground every 17 years, they compared the phenomenon to the biblical accounts of locust plagues. The name \u201c17-year locust<\/strong>\u201d stuck \u2014 even though cicadas do not swarm, eat crops, or migrate like true locusts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This mislabeling continues today, often resurfacing when news outlets cover cicada emergences such as Brood X<\/strong> in the eastern United States. But scientifically speaking, cicadas are not locusts \u2014 they\u2019re simply noisy but harmless insects celebrating their brief time above ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Physical Appearance and Body Structure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Physical<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Cicada Features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Cicadas are generally larger and stockier<\/strong> than locusts. They have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • A broad head<\/strong> with two large, bulging compound eyes and three smaller simple eyes (ocelli).
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    • Transparent wings<\/strong> that extend well past their bodies, giving them a glass-like appearance.
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    • Short, bristle-like antennae and a straw-like mouthpart called a proboscis<\/strong>, used to drink sap from trees.
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      Their coloration ranges from green and brown in annual species to black with striking red eyes in periodical cicadas. When at rest, cicadas hold their wings tent-like over their bodies, unlike grasshoppers, whose wings fold flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Locust Features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Locusts are slimmer and built for jumping and flying long distances<\/strong>. They have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • Long hind legs<\/strong> that allow them to leap high into the air.
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      • Opaque, leathery wings<\/strong> rather than clear ones.
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      • Chewing mouthparts<\/strong> for eating leaves, stems, and crops.
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      • Antennae that are longer and more flexible than a cicada\u2019s.
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        Their earthy brown or green coloring helps them blend into grasslands, while their lightweight bodies allow them to travel in vast migrating swarms that can stretch for miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Shell and Molting Differences<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Another common confusion comes from their molting shells<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        • Cicadas<\/strong> leave behind empty brown shells (called exuviae<\/em>) that cling to tree trunks, fences, or walls. These shells are easy to spot and often the first sign that cicadas have emerged.
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        • Locusts<\/strong> also molt, but their discarded skins are smaller, more fragile, and usually remain on the ground.
          <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          If you\u2019ve ever seen a crisp, hollow insect shell gripping a tree \u2014 that\u2019s definitely from a cicada, not a locust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Sound and Communication<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          How Cicadas Make Sound<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Cicadas are among the loudest insects in the world. Male cicadas produce their iconic buzzing by vibrating special structures called tymbals<\/strong> on the sides of their abdomen. Each vibration creates a rapid clicking sound that blends into a continuous hum. Some species can reach 100 decibels<\/strong>, loud enough to drown out conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The purpose of the noise is simple: it\u2019s a mating call. Each cicada species has a distinct song, and only the males sing. Females respond by flicking their wings, helping males locate them among the chorus. The sound is most intense on hot, sunny days and quiets down at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          How Locusts Make Sound<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Locusts, like grasshoppers, create sound in a completely different way. They rub their hind legs against their wings or bodies<\/strong>, a process known as stridulation<\/strong>. This produces a rough, rhythmic clicking or chirping sound, much softer than a cicada\u2019s roar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Locusts use their sounds for communication within swarms \u2014 signaling danger, coordinating movement, or attracting mates. While cicadas fill the air with constant buzzing, locust sounds are shorter and more intermittent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Cicada Sound vs Locust Sound<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Here\u2019s a quick way to tell them apart:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          • Cicadas<\/strong>: Continuous buzzing, droning, or humming \u2014 especially during the daytime.
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          • Locusts<\/strong>: Rhythmic chirps or crackling sounds, often heard in fields and grasslands.
            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            In simple terms, if you hear an electric-sounding buzz echoing through the trees, that\u2019s a cicada. If you hear a dry clicking noise from a field, it\u2019s probably a locust or grasshopper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Life Cycle Comparison<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
            \"Life<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Cicada Life Cycle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Cicadas have one of the most extraordinary life cycles in the insect world. After hatching, the young cicadas (called nymphs) drop from tree branches and burrow into the soil, where they feed on tree root sap. They remain underground for years \u2014 up to 17 years<\/strong> for periodical cicadas \u2014 before emerging as adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            When the soil temperature reaches about 64\u00b0F (18\u00b0C), the nymphs dig to the surface, shed their shells, and begin their short adult lives. Adults live only 2 to 6 weeks<\/strong>, long enough to sing, mate, and lay eggs. Their emergence in huge numbers every few years overwhelms predators, ensuring that enough survive to reproduce \u2014 a phenomenon called predator satiation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Locust Life Cycle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Locusts, in contrast, have a much shorter and simpler life cycle. They hatch from eggs laid in soil, grow through several nymphal stages (called hoppers), and reach adulthood within two to three months<\/strong>. When environmental conditions are favorable \u2014 such as after heavy rains \u2014 locust populations grow quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Once they reach a certain density, a biological switch flips, and they transform from solitary grasshoppers into swarming locusts<\/strong>, capable of traveling hundreds of miles and consuming entire crops in their path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The \u201c17-Year Locust\u201d Myth<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            One of the biggest reasons people confuse cicadas and locusts is the term \u201c17-year locust.\u201d<\/strong> This nickname dates back to the 1600s when European colonists in North America first experienced massive periodical cicada emergencies<\/strong>. To them, the sight of billions of insects rising from the ground, covering trees, and making an ear-splitting racket resembled the biblical stories of locust plagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            However, this label is scientifically inaccurate<\/strong>. The so-called \u201c17-year locusts\u201d are actually periodical cicadas<\/strong> of the genus Magicicada<\/em>. These insects spend most of their lives underground and emerge only once every 13 or 17 years, depending on the brood. Unlike real locusts, they don\u2019t chew through crops or destroy vegetation. At most, their egg-laying activity can cause minor damage to small twigs and young trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            While true locusts \u2014 such as the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria<\/em>) \u2014 have caused devastating famines throughout history, cicadas are harmless. The myth persists because both insects appear in overwhelming numbers, but their impact could not be more different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Behavior, Habitat, and Ecology<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
            \"Cicada<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Habitat and Range<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Cicadas and locusts occupy entirely different worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            • Cicadas<\/strong> prefer forests, wooded areas, and suburban neighborhoods<\/strong> with plenty of trees. They spend their nymph years underground feeding on root sap, then climb trees to sing and mate. Cicadas are found across the globe, especially in North America, Australia, and parts of Asia.
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Locusts<\/strong>, in contrast, thrive in dry grasslands, deserts, and savannas<\/strong>. They are most common in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where seasonal rains trigger their population booms. Locusts prefer open fields and farmlands rather than wooded environments.
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              Feeding Behavior<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              Another major difference lies in their diet and mouthparts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n