Bug FAQGiant Cicada
Quesada gigas · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Cicadidae
The giant cicada is one of the biggest cicada species in North America and shows a mix of black, green and brown colors with olive-brown eyes and a brown-green neck collar. It lives mainly in South Texas brushland from near Del Rio eastward to Austin and the western edge of Houston, and its range extends into parts of Central America.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
They are among the largest cicada species found in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
In the United States they are found mainly in South Texas brushland, from near Laughlin AFB east through Uvalde, San Antonio and Austin to the western limits of Houston. Their range does not usually go far inland or far west beyond San Luis Potosí.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They feed on the roots of trees, especially huisache and other legumes.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Immature cicadas stay underground for at least four years before emerging as adults.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North, Central and South America and is also called chichara grande, coyoyo or coyuyo.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Their coloration helps them blend into the environment, and Texan cicadas are usually distinguished by their sound rather than looks.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When do giant cicadas appear?
In south Texas they emerge between April and October, while in central Texas they show up from June to July.
Source: Wikipedia
What do giant cicadas eat?
They feed on the roots of trees, especially huisache and other members of the legume family.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find giant cicadas?
They are most common in South Texas brushland from near Del Rio eastward to Austin and the western edge of Houston.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Cicadidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_cicada
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.