A once-in-221-year convergence of two broods of periodical cicadas emerges at the same time in the United States. The great effect of cicadas lies in their numbers. Billions of people are expected to populate 16 states by mid- to late June. They can be overwhelming, messy and noisy.
But individually, up close and personal, a cicada has splashes of color, subtle shapes and that special something that some scientists and artists believe translates into beauty.
Periodical cicadas have “a more otherworldly appearance” than other insects and the fact that they emerge every 13 or 17 years adds to their appeal, making them “look like something out of a science fiction movie.” said Jonathan Monaghan, a Washington resident. Visual artist based in DC.
“Up close, there is a subtle beauty, especially with their bright cadmium red eyes,” Monaghan said. “Visually, they look their best after molting as there is more contrast on their bodies, showing some really interesting patterns. But overall I still think they look pretty goofy.
When collage artist Luis Martin, a self-described art engineer from Brooklyn, New York, first saw cicadas, he was fascinated.
“They were so beautiful and diaphanous that I kind of fell in love,” said Martin, who wore a cicada bolo tie during a Zoom interview. “It looked like a fairy.”
But, he says, they also look scary.
“It kind of takes us back to those beautiful colors that we tend to find a little bit ugly, right? Because they’re brown, they’re a bit metallic, a bit like aliens,” Martin said. “As a brown person myself, I find them absolutely stunning. I totally see myself in them.
Scientists are even more fascinated.
“There are many things in the world today that can cause panic. Cicadas are not one of them,” said Gene Kritsky, a biologist at Mount St. Joseph University who wrote a book about this year’s dual emergence. “They are beautiful insects. They have red eyes, black bodies, orange veins on these membranous wings. I love how they appear in such large numbers. I like being able to predict when they will come out. It’s a scientific experiment every time,” he added.
