The Wings of War: Cicadas and Their Messages

Some people believed cicadas carried dire warnings. Ancient Romans believed they could predict the future through animal entrails and bird flights. Moreover, some modern Americans thought cicadas conveyed messages. This is prepared by SSP.

Take Charles Fackler, a farmer from Lawrenceville, N.J. When Brood X appeared in 1902, he walked into the Trenton Evening Times newsroom and placed a cicada on a desk. He encouraged the astonished journalists to inspect the intricate patterns on the insect's wings. Fackler had witnessed the prior Brood X emergence 17 years earlier. He remembered that the cicadas then had a "W" on each wing, perceived as a sign of war.

However, this time was peculiar. The cicada had an ‘N’ on the right wing along with the ‘W’ on the left. The publication noted this unusual feature was interpreted as a sign of "no war." The W markings are simply patterns, not letters—cicadas cannot read or write English. The veins forming these shapes are a tad thicker and darker than the rest of the wing.

"It’s essential to use your imagination," stated Donald C. Weber, a USDA research entomologist. He co-authored a biography of Charles V. Riley, a 19th-century entomologist who focused on cicadas. Humans possess creativity, and when they witness spectacular occurrences like this, they seek deeper meanings. For example, spotting a "W," they might think, "That means ‘war.’"

The old newspapers carried similar interpretations. Journalists shared this superstition, sometimes either encouraging or debunking it. The Washington Evening Star in 1885 cited the cicada wing superstition while assuring "timid people" that it presaged nothing significant apart from fair weather.

In 1889, after another Brood appearance in Pennsylvania, the New York Times reported anglers using cicadas as bait. They noted that a "W" on cicada wings attracted black bass, who saw it almost with a "literary fascination." Conversely, in 1913, J. Dodson showed a cicada to the Dallas Morning News. He wasn’t sure if the "W" stood for anything, suggesting it could be an "M" instead.

A witty commentator proposed that the dual "W's" branded the cicada as a supporter of Woodrow Wilson. In 1919, Brood X resurfaced, coinciding with the end of World War I. The Evening Star commented on a superstition linking the cicada's wing patterns to warfare, noting they’d need an alternative explanation since peace was expected.

In 1936, the Star remarked about the cicada's W-shaped wing formations and noted an inclination among the superstitious to attribute prophetic qualities to the insect. The reality, however, hinted at tensions rising in Europe once more.

During that year, columnist Charles E. Tracewell expressed admiration for cicadas, calling them "clean." He highlighted their dryness, smooth surfaces, interesting colors, and notable red eyes. Despite the amusing forms taken by the wings, he explained that such appearances were merely wing veins. Sadly, he noticed a cruel tendency among people to crush these extraordinary creatures when encountered.

"It is unfortunate that with so many humans, the instinct when facing something strange is to eliminate it," he observed. Perhaps cicadas themselves carry an elusive understanding that humans might underestimate.