Insect · GBIF taxon 9550949
Bush Cicada
Megatibicen dorsatusAlso known as Giant Grassland Cicada
Bush cicadas produce a dry, buzzing drone that echoes across North American prairies during peak summer heat. Nymphs spend years underground feeding on xylem fluid from plant roots before emerging at night to transform into large, patterned adults. Males perch high on tallgrass stems or fence posts, calling loudly to attract mates before their brief adult life ends.
GrasslandLoud CallSummer
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Plant sap
Predators
- Birds
- Cicada killer wasps
- Rodents
ThreatsHabitat loss from agriculture and urban expansion
HabitatsTallgrass prairies, meadows, and oak savannahs
Life span3–5 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyCicadidae
- SpeciesMegatibicen dorsatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listening Tip: Search for males calling from high perches on hot, sunny summer afternoons.
- Exuviae Hunting: Look along prairie grass stems for empty brown nymphal shells left after emergence.
Predator (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher · cc-by-sa
Kinship (c) Matthew Lindsey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative jupiterswasphouse Depicted place: Mississippi, USA (34°46′39″N 88°32′40″W / 34.777474°N 88.544553°W / 34.777474; -88.544553) / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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