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What the sources say

Periodical CicadaMagicicada septendecim

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Periodical Cicada profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 54 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus' 17-year cicada). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysremarkably loud
The source saysA periodical cicada chorus can become remarkably loudNote: tagline
The page saysEmerges from underground with its whole brood, once every 17 years
The source sayssingle brood emerges from underground together once every 17 yearsNote: superpower
The page saysJuices from plant roots as a nymph, fluids from trees as an adult
The source saysfeeds by sucking juices from the roots of plants, especially deciduous trees ... the adults do feed by sucking fluids out of treesNote: stats.diet
The page saysDeciduous forests of the eastern United States
The source saysThe area in which a periodical cicada brood is located must contain a large population of deciduous treesNote: stats.habitat; range in next claim
The page sayshatches in a twig, drops to the ground and burrows in
The source saysfemale Magicicada septendecim mature and lay eggs in the twigs of trees. Hatching occurs during the middle of the summer, and the nymphs burrow
The page saysabout 2.5 mm long
The source saysThe new nymphs, about 2.5 mm in length, hatch and journey to the ground
The page saysIt feeds by sucking juices from plant roots, especially those of deciduous trees
The source saysfeeds by sucking juices from the roots of plants, especially deciduous trees
The page saysgoes through several juvenile stages
The source saysnymphs remain underground for 17 years, feeding and going through several juvenile stages
The page saysA single M. septendecim brood emerges once every 17 years, and an entire brood sometimes emerges during one night.
The source sayssingle brood emerges from underground together once every 17 years . ... An entire brood sometimes emerges during one night.
The page saysPeriodical cicadas live in broods
The source saysAll members of the genus Magicicada remain in groups known as broods.Note: genus scope, said as 'periodical cicadas' (ADW: periodical cicadas are the genus Magicicada)
The page saysIn the spring of the 17th year, nymphs build exit tunnels and generally emerge in May.
The source saysIn the spring of the 17th year, the nymphs build exit tunnels, and generally emerge during the month of May.
The page saysattaches itself to the bark of a nearby tree and goes through one final molt
The source saysThe nymphs then attach themselves to the bark of a nearby tree and undergo one final molt, becoming adults.
The page saysThe adult is black, with eyes that are generally reddish-orange and clear wings with orange veins.
The source saysis black in color and about 1.5 inches in length. Its eyes and legs are generally reddish-orange, and the wings are clear with orange veins.
The page saysWithin four or five days, the males form singing choruses.
The source saysWithin four or five days of emergence, the males form singing choruses
The page saysOnly males sing, and they do it with a pair of rigid membranes called tymbals near the abdomen.
The source saysOnly males can produce songs, and they do so with a pair of rigid membranes (called tymbals) near the abdomen.
The page saysThe calling song of this species is said to sound like the word "Pharaoh".
The source saysThe calling song of Magicicada septendecim is said to sound like the word "Pharaoh"
The page saysA chorus can become remarkably loud.
The source saysA periodical cicada chorus can become remarkably loud
The page saysIt is generally accepted that brooding behavior exists mainly to overwhelm predators.
The source saysIt is generally accepted that brooding behavior exists mainly to "overwhelm" predators.
The page saysThe logic is that with so many cicadas in a small area, even if many are eaten, enough survive to reproduce.
The source sayswith such a large population in a relatively small area, even if many individuals are preyed upon, the mating population will still be sufficiently large so that many individuals will survive to reproduce.Note: paraphrase
The page saysBoth sexes generally mate with several partners.
The source saysboth males and females generally mate with several partners during the period
The page saysA female then uses her needle-like ovipositor, an egg-laying tool, to cut slits in twigs.
The source saysshe uses her needle-like egg-laying mechanism, called an ovipositor, to make small slits in twigs
The page saysA single female can lay up to 500 eggs, and afterward she drops to the ground and dies.
The source saysA single female can lay up to 500 eggs, and after this process, the female drops to the ground and dies.
The page saysNeither males nor females live past early July.
The source saysNeither the male nor the female lives past early July.
The page saysIts genus is found only in the United States, east of the Great Plains, and M. septendecim is primarily located in the northern midwestern and eastern parts of that area.
The source saysPeriodical cicadas (members of the genus Magicicada ) are only found in the United States, east of the Great Plains. ... thus being primarily located in the northern midwestern and eastern United States
The page saysTwigs may split, wither and die, which is called flagging.
The source saysthe twigs may split, whither, and die. This problem, known as flaggingNote: source misspells wither
The page saysIt is not serious for mature trees, but it can greatly harm young trees.
The source saysis not serious for mature trees, but it can greatly harm young trees
The page saysThis species has broad orange stripes on the underside of the abdomen and an orange spot on the side of the thorax.
The source saysinclude broad orange stripes on the abdominal underside and an orange spot on the side of the thorax
The page says17 years underground
The source saysnymphs remain underground for 17 yearsNote: tagline
The page saysWithin four or five days, the males form singing choruses
The source saysWithin four or five days of emergence, the males form singing chorusesNote: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim
The page saysa pair of rigid membranes called tymbals
The source saysOnly males can produce songs, and they do so with a pair of rigid membranes (called tymbals) near the abdomen.Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim
The page saysa chorus can become remarkably loud
The source saysA periodical cicada chorus can become remarkably loudNote: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim
The page saystags: burrower
The source saysIn the spring of the 17th year, the nymphs build exit tunnelsNote: #981: nymphs dig into the soil and live 17 years underground, then tunnel out

Source
02

Forest Pest Insects in North America: a Photographic Guide

Periodical cicada, Magicicada septendecim L. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). Forest Pest Insects in North America: a Photographic Guide.

The page saysthen a few remarkably loud weeks
The source saysuntil most cicadas have died off (about four weeks from their first appearance)Note: tagline; 'a few weeks' for Forest Pests' about four weeks; 17 years claimed separately
The page saysDeciduous forests of the eastern United States
The source saysMagicicada septendecim is widely distributed in the eastern United States.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysdrops to the ground
The source saysAfter eggs hatch, nymphs drop to the ground and burrow into the soil
The page saysNymphs need 17 years to finish their development.
The source saysNymphs require 17 years to complete their development.
The page saysPeriodical cicadas live in broods, populations in different areas.
The source saysBroods (populations in different areas)Note: definition from Forest Pests; genus scope stated as 'periodical cicadas', next claim
The page saysIt is 40 mm in length, the largest of the periodically emerging cicada species.
The source saysis the largest of periodicallyemerging cicada species (adult, 40 mm in length)
The page saysThis species is widely distributed in the eastern United States.
The source saysMagicicada septendecim is widely distributed in the eastern United States.
The page saysThe eggs go into more than 70 kinds of trees and other plants.
The source saysThis cicada lays its eggs in more than 70 species of trees or other plants
The page saysThe only significant injury the insect causes comes from the egg slits.
The source saysThe only significant injury caused by this insect is the dieback of small branches ("flagging") from the cuts made for oviposition.
The page saysNymphs burrow into the soil and need 17 years to complete their development.
The source saysnymphs drop to the ground and burrow into the soil ... Nymphs require 17 years to complete their development.Note: faq
The page saysOnce the adults appear, most have died off within about four weeks.
The source sayscovering plants with netting to exclude cicadas, which should be left in place until most cicadas have died off (about four weeks from their first appearance)Note: faq
The page saysLarger trees and shrubs are not harmed, since the egg-laying damage comes only every 17 years and large plants can tolerate it.
The source saysit is not harmful to larger trees and shrubs since it only occurs every 17 years and large plants can tolerate this level of damageNote: faq
The page saysOn smaller trees, extensive egg-laying may be harmful.
The source saysOn smaller trees, however, extensive oviposition may be harmful.Note: faq
The page saysThe cicadas are often too numerous for pesticides to be practical.
The source saysPeriodical cicadas are often too numerous to make applications of pesticides practical.Note: faq
The page saysHomeowners can protect small trees and shrubs with netting.
The source saysHomeowners who need to protect small trees and shrubs from damage can do so by covering plants with netting to exclude cicadasNote: faq

Source
03

Periodical Cicada Information Pages, University of Connecticut

Magicicada septendecim (L. 1758). Periodical Cicada Information Pages, University of Connecticut.

The page saysIts calling song is said to resemble the word "Pharaoh".
The source saysThe calling song phrases are said to resemble the word “Pharaoh.”

Source
04

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996

Magicicada septendecim. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: e.T12691A3373584.

The page saysNear Threatened
The source saysLower Risk/near threatenedNote: stats.conservationStatus; the 1996 assessment is Lower Risk/near threatened (ver 2.3), and the schema has no LR value, so NT (its GBIF mapping) stays in the stats. Read from the 2018 Wayback copy of the Red List page (#1004).
The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates the species Lower Risk/near threatened
The source saysRed List Category & Criteria: Lower Risk/near threatened ver 2.3Note: 2018 Wayback copy of the Red List page (#1004); GBIF maps it to NEAR_THREATENED
The page saysin an assessment made in 1996 that the Red List itself marks as needing an update
The source saysYear Published: 1996 Date Assessed: 1996-08-01 Annotations: Needs updatingNote: 2018 Wayback copy of the Red List page (#1004)
The page saysthe 1996 equivalent of Near Threatened
The source saysLower Risk/near threatened ver 2.3 Year Published: 1996Note: Lower Risk/near threatened is the version 2.3 category; GBIF's copy of this same assessment maps it to NEAR_THREATENED

Source
05

Brumfield et al. 2022

Brumfield et al. (2022). Gut microbiome insights from 16S rRNA analysis of 17-year periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Magicicada spp.) Broods II, VI, and X. Scientific Reports.

The page saystags: herbivore
The source saysLike other cicadas, Magicicada feed on xylem fluid of roots, stems, and branchesNote: #981: plant sap only; the same sentence goes on to the obligate Sulcia and Hodgkinia endosymbionts that supply what xylem lacks, the microbial half of the tag's definition

Source
06

Sota 2022

Sota (2022). Life-cycle control of 13- and 17-year periodical cicadas: A hypothesis and its implication in the evolutionary process. Ecological Research.

The page saysPeriodical cicada nymphs usually live within 60 cm of the surface, most often 20 to 45 cm down.
The source saysNymphs usually live within 60-cm depth, most frequently at 20 – 45 cm (Marlatt, 1907).Note: #1005: genus-scope figure (Magicicada), from Marlatt 1907; replaces ADW's one to three meters, which no primary source supports

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.