What Do Cicadas Eat?

Cicadas get their food from liquid found in plants, mainly the sap from trees and shrubs. Instead of chewing like many insects, cicadas have special mouthparts shaped like straws that let them suck up fluids. This way of eating stays the same throughout their lives, but nymphs (young cicadas) and adults draw sap from different parts of the plant.

Do cicadas eat plants or other insects?

Cicadas are plant-eaters, or herbivores. They drink only plant sap and don’t eat other bugs or any solid parts of a plant. This is different from insects like locusts, which chew and eat large amounts of leaves and stems. Cicadas only use their straw-like mouthparts to drink, not chew. They are not hunters and do not harm or eat other insects or animals.

Common myths about cicada diets

Some people think cicadas will destroy gardens or crops like locusts, but that’s not accurate. While locusts chew and eat many kinds of plants, cicadas can’t bite or chew at all-they only suck up plant fluids. Your flowers and vegetables are safe from cicadas, as their mouths aren’t built to eat solid plant things. There’s also a myth that cicadas might bite people or animals. They can’t bite, don’t suck blood, and aren’t known to spread diseases. Their feeding is only about getting sap from plants.

What do cicada nymphs eat?

Cicada nymphs spend most of their lives underground-sometimes up to 17 years-feeding on sap from tree roots. This time beneath the soil is called the “brood period.” Nymphs depend only on tree roots to survive. They use their straw-like mouthparts to poke into roots and suck up xylem sap, which gives them the water and nutrients they need to grow up.

How do cicada nymphs find food underground?

Nymphs dig through the soil, making tunnels until they find a root. Once they find one, they pierce it with their mouthparts to drink xylem fluid. This feeding time under the ground can last from 2 to 17 years, based on which cicada species they are. Usually, their feeding doesn’t really harm trees, though if too many nymphs feed on one tree, it might slow the plant’s growth.

What does xylem sap do for cicadas?

Xylem sap is the main thing cicadas drink while they are both nymphs and adults. Xylem helps move water and minerals up from the roots to the rest of the plant. Though xylem doesn’t have a lot of sugar, it gives cicadas the moisture and minerals they need. Because cicadas drink a lot, the xylem sap has enough to keep them going, even though it’s not the most nutritious liquid.

What do adult cicadas eat?

Adult cicadas also feed on plant sap, but after they leave the ground, they switch from sucking on roots to drinking from small branches or twigs. This feeding is key to keeping them alive during their short time as adults, when their main job is to mate and lay eggs.

How do adult cicadas get their food?

Adults use the same straw-like mouthparts as nymphs. They push them into young tree branches or woody shrubs. They drink the sap, which gives them enough water and nutrients for their needs. They do not eat or chew leaves, so they usually don’t cause direct damage to healthy, mature trees. Their main purpose as adults is to reproduce, so eating is not as important for them as it was when they were nymphs.

Do adult cicadas eat tree leaves or fruit?

No, adult cicadas do not eat leaves or fruit. Their mouths cannot chew, so they only drink sap found in small branches and woody stems. If you see cicadas on leaves or fruit, it’s not because they are eating them. Sometimes you might see damage to branches, but that comes from females making small cuts to lay eggs-not from the cicadas eating the tree.

What don’t cicadas eat?

It’s helpful to know what cicadas avoid, because this clears up some common worries. Cicadas have a very narrow diet and are often mixed up with more harmful insects.

Do cicadas eat garden vegetables or crops?

No, cicadas don’t eat vegetable plants, flowers, or crops in gardens. Their mouths just aren’t made for chewing or biting. They only drink liquid from tree or shrub branches. Your tomatoes, beans, roses, and other plants are not on their menu. If your plants have bite marks, it’s a different insect, not a cicada.

Are cicadas a risk to other insects or animals?

Cicadas do not attack or eat other insects or animals. They do not bite or sting and can’t suck blood. They are not dangerous and do not spread sickness to people or animals. In fact, when big groups of cicadas come out, many birds, reptiles, spiders, and mammals eat them. Having so many cicadas at once helps most of them survive, even when predators are looking for food.

How does the cicada diet affect the environment?

Even though cicadas can seem loud and bothersome, their feeding and life cycles are actually good for nature. They help forests and the soil stay healthy.

Do cicadas damage trees?

For the most part, cicadas do not seriously hurt trees. Female cicadas sometimes cut twigs to put in eggs, which can turn the tips of some branches brown, especially on young trees. However, this isn’t really harmful to old, healthy trees-in fact, it can even help by working like natural pruning and letting new branches grow. Once cicadas die, their bodies break down and put nutrients like nitrogen back into the soil, helping the trees that fed them in the first first place.

Cicadas in the ecosystem

Cicadas help the environment in several ways. Their tunnels underground let air into the soil and make it easier for roots to get water and nutrients. When they come out of the ground, lots of animals eat them. Once they die, their bodies enrich the soil and help new plants grow. All this shows how cicadas, while sometimes noisy, are an important part of keeping forests and wildlife healthy and balanced.

• Cicadas only drink plant sap, never solid food.
• They do not bite, sting, or affect people or pets.
• Cicadas are eaten by birds and other animals, helping local wildlife.
• Their activities help plants and soil in several ways.