AUDIO ARCHIVE - Mapping Periodical Cicadas

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Mapping Periodical Cicadas - May 15, 2008

BACKGROUND: A group of researchers from the University of Connecticut has a grant from the National Geographic Society to track and map the distribution of cicadas – and they are seeking the public’s help.

Currently, maps showing where 17-year cicadas emerge date from as far back as the 19th century. These maps are now outdated and tend to overestimate periodical cicada range limits. The UConn researchers are going to spend the next few months on the road, living out of their cars finding and mapping the spread of the cicadas, with the heaviest appearances expected to be in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Eastern Pennsylvania, Long Island and Cape Cod.

They have set up a website (http://magicicada.org/) which shows current cicada mapping and also includes information about species, behavior, broods and frequently asked questions. In addition, people living in regions that are home to the cicadas are invited to visit this site to report the cicadas they are seeing to the teams: http://magicicada.org/report/report.php

While Connecticut does not have a major periodical cicada population, UConn is one of the leading research universities on the subject.

AUDIO: John R. Cooley, a post-doctoral fellow with the university’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is a top cicada scholar and will be leading the teams as they conduct the mapping. He talks about the project and periodical cicadas.

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AUDIO DOWNLOADS/DESCRIPTION			SPEAKER INFO		HI-RES IMAGES
	John Cooley says periodical cicadas can be found throughout the Eastern United States, however you won't find them in Connecticut. The last "brood" was seen in 1954 in Northeastern Connecticut. :30 seconds		John R. Cooley, post-doctoral fellow with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
	Cooley says researchers who are looking at periodical cicadas are working with 19th century maps, so a new mapping project is underway. :25 seconds
	Cooley says one of the goals of the mapping is to find out if periodical cicadas are endangered. :27 seconds
	Cooley says there is quite a bit of cicada research going on at UConn. :22 seconds
	Cooley explains what might be happening to periodical cicadas. :30 seconds
	Cooley was in Illinois last year for an emergence of 17 year cicadas north of Springfield, Illinois. A typical emergence has millions of cicadas per acre. Cooley recorded the Illinois cicadas on June 1, 2007. :20 seconds
Additional Information To reach John Cooley about the cicada mapping project, contact Mike Kirk, Media Communications, at (860) 486-3530. Cicada Mapping Project Website John Cooley's Website Need Help? Comments/Questions: Email Mark J. Roy, University Communications. Telephone: (860) 486-3530. About Mark J. Roy