Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada Coloring Pages

The Star Singer of Summer! The Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada!

When you think of summer, what cicada sound comes to mind first? The Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada brings us a loud, super energetic song that sounds like "Meeen, meeen, min-min-meeen!" It is a super popular insect that makes summer in Japan exciting!

A Fun Story Behind Its Japanese Name

Do you know how the Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada got its Japanese name, "Minmin-zemi"?

• The answer is taken right from its song that everyone knows!

• Because its call sounds like "meeen, meeen," people gave it the friendly and cute name, Minmin-zemi.

When Can You See It? Its Active Season

The Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada flies in the sky and sings happily during the hottest time of the year.

• You can find them in midsummer, mainly from late July to early September.

• They love hot, sunny days! They sing together in a big chorus, especially from the cool morning hours until midday.

Where Does It Live? Places You Can Find It

The Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada lives across wide areas of Japan, like Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

• Long ago, many of them lived in cool mountain forests.

• But today, you can see lots of them in big city parks and trees along the street. One might even be hiding in the trees at your school yard!

What Does It Eat to Grow Big?

Grown-up cicadas and young nymphs in the dirt all get important food from trees.

• They poke their long, thin, straw-like mouths into tree trunks. Then, they drink up sweet, healthy tree sap!

• Baby nymphs living underground drink juice from tree roots to grow big and strong.

How Long Does It Live? The Secret of Its Life

Most of the life of a Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada is actually spent inside the dark ground.

• It spends about 2 to 4 years living underground as a nymph.

• Once it comes out above ground and becomes a grown-up cicada, it only lives for about 1 to 3 weeks. It sings with all its heart during this short time!

Beautiful Body Colors Like a Gem

Large brown cicadas are all brown, but the Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada has pretty colors just like a gem!

• On its chest, bright mint green mixes with deep black patterns.

• These colors look just like tree leaves and moss. They give the cicada great camouflage to hide from birds!

Pretty Wings Clear as Glass

The wings of the Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada have a special, beautiful look unlike other cicadas.

• Its wings are completely clear and see-through, just like glass!

• The lines near the base of its wings are a pretty light green. They sparkle in the sunlight and look super cool!

White Powder on Its Belly

If you catch a Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada and turn it over to look at its belly, you will find a cool secret!

• Lots of white powder covers its belly, just like magic dust.

• This powder keeps the cicada safe from rain and protects its body.

Only Males Sing! The Secret of the Song

Did you know that only male cicadas sing that loud "meeen, meeen" song?

• Inside their belly is a drum-like organ. They vibrate it super fast to make sounds!

• They sing with all their power to tell female cicadas, "I am right here, and I am doing great!"

Top Tip! Color the Bright Green and Black Patterns

Here is a cool trick to make the body look super realistic!

• First, color the pattern on the chest gently with bright yellow-green or mint green all over.

• Next, use a deep black colored pencil to trace clearly over the drawn lines. When the green and black stand out, your cicada turns into a cool, neat, realistic Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada!

A Magic Trick for Clear See-Through Wings

The big secret to glass-like clear wings is not coloring everything in.

• Leave lots of white paper plain inside the wings.

• Just trace quick lines along the thin veins on the wings with light blue or pretty yellow-green. This makes the wings look shiny, fresh, and see-through in the light!

Big Eyes and 3 Little Jewels on the Head

Color the face carefully with different colors to make your Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada look ready to move!

• Color the big round eyes on both sides of the head with deep green, gray, or a bit of brown for a cool look.

• Look closely at the middle of the forehead to find three small dots. Color them with a tiny dot of bright ruby red! It brings your Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada to life.

Round Tummy and White Powder Tricks

Here is how to make the tummy look nice and round.

• Color the tummy segments with a base of light brown or tan.

• Leave the sides white without any color. This shows off the special powdery white look of the Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada and makes the tummy look round and full!

Color Freely! Add a Background for More Fun

There are no wrong answers in coloring pages. Have fun using any colors you like!

• You can even make a rainbow Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada. That is super fun too!

• Color the tree bark dark brown, or draw a bright sun and big clouds in the open sky. You can make the picture come alive! Have fun finishing your awesome summer coloring page.

Only Males Sing "Meen-Meen"!

In summer, you hear them singing loudly, "Meen, meen, min-min-min-mee..." But did you know? Only male Hyalessa maculaticollis cicadas sing like this! They vibrate special muscles in their bellies to make a super loud call to female cicadas nearby, telling them, "I am over here!"

So Different from Large Brown Cicadas! Beautiful "Clear Wings"

Large brown cicadas in Japan have dark brown wings you cannot see through. But the Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada has wings that are completely clear like glass! Their bodies have pretty patterns of black and bright yellow-green. When they sit on tree trunks, they blend right in so enemies cannot find them easily.

They Are Actually Not Good with "Super Hot Places"

The Hyalessa maculaticollis cicada seems like a symbol of hot Japanese summers, but they do not like extreme heat. That is why they rest quietly during the hottest time at noon. Instead, they love to sing in big groups during the cooler morning hours!

Do They Live in Different Places in the East and West?

In eastern Japan like Tokyo, you can find lots of them on trees in city parks and schools. But in western Japan like Osaka, they do not live in the city as much. Instead, many live in cooler mountains and deep forests. It is so mysterious how the places you find them change by area!