Purdue News
Purdue News
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CICADA EXPERTS May 12, 2004 Purdue, IU scientists can discuss impact of periodical cicadas' mass emergenceWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Evidence is appearing that the Brood X 17-year periodical cicadas are beginning to emerge. Reports are that some of the insects' discarded outer covering, or exoskeleton, have been seen in areas south of Indianapolis. This group of cicadas has been developing in underground holes since the nymphs hatched from eggs in 1987. When they come out, they are in their final nymph stage. After emergence, they climb a vertical object, such as a screen, fence post or tree, where they shed their exoskeletons. The resulting insects are winged adult cicadas, which will mate and lay eggs for the next generation of the insects that are scheduled to appear in 2021. For further information see the fact sheet, the Purdue University Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory and the IU cicada Web site. Experts on Brood X 17-year periodical cicadas include: • Keith Clay, Indiana University Bloomington biology professor. Clay is a forest ecologist. A central theme in Clay's work is the effect of animals, fungi and bacteria on forest growth. Recent and ongoing research projects include the invasion of Europe by American cherry trees, periodical cicadas and their influence on forest dynamics, and fungi that both harm and help the plants they infect. Clay currently possesses the largest National Science Foundation grant to study periodical cicadas. CONTACT: David Bricker, IU Office of Communications, (812)-856-9035, brickerd@indiana.edu • Tim Gibb, Purdue University entomology diagnostician. Gibb is a member of the Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory, where he focuses on solving insect-created problems. He also is a Purdue Turfgrass Integrated Pest Management team member and a Purdue Cooperative Extension specialist. As such, he identifies approximately 1,100 insects annually and makes control recommendations to professional pest controllers, product manufactures, government agencies, agricultural businesses, homeowners and health care organizations. CONTACT: Gibb, (765) 494-4570, gibb@purdue.edu • John Odland, IU geography professor. Odland is an economic geographer. His research generally focuses on the distribution of wealth according to location, education and other determining factors. However, he currently is involved in a number of National Science Foundation-funded projects designed to explore interactions between humans and their environment. Among these, Odland is studying whether human modifications of the environment can influence the distribution of Brood X periodical cicadas. CONTACT: Bricker, (812) 856-9035, brickerd@indiana.edu • Cliff Sadof, Purdue entomology professor. Sadof investigates how the urban ecosystem contributes to insect damage of ornamental plants and tress. This includes studying how changing environments affect natural enemies of insects, the physiology of plants that are insect resistant and the migration of insects. He focuses on finding pest management strategies that include landscape composition and use of flowers to conserve beneficial insects and reduce the pest species. His basic research aims at finding pesticides that are less toxic to beneficial insects but still effective against pest populations. CONTACT: Sadof, (765) 494-5983, csadof@purdue.edu • Harmon Weeks, Purdue professor of forestry and natural resources. Weeks studies songbird populations throughout Indiana and how cicadas will provide birds and other wildlife with an ideal supplemental food source. He expects this to benefit songbirds by allowing them to produce more young and provide them with better food. In addition, he suggests animals that normally feed on songbird eggs, such as squirrels, jays or raccoons, will likely switch their diets in response to the Brood X emergence and consume cicadas almost exclusively. CONTACT: Weeks, (765) 494-3567, weeks@purdue.edu
Writers: Susan Steeves, (765) 496-7481, ssteeves@purdue.edu David Bricker, (812) 856-9035, brickerd@indiana.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-8396; Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722forbes@purdue.edu
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