Are There Cicadas in Hawaii?
Cicadas are not native to Hawaii and are not established in the islands. Unlike mainland states, Hawaii's isolated island ecosystem has no wild cicada populations. Although individual cicadas may occasionally arrive by accident on imported goods, they do not persist or establish breeding populations. Hawaii's cicada-free environment remains one of its distinctive natural characteristics.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
Cassin's 17-year Cicada · Nick Tobler (Cowturtle) CC BY
Dark Lyric Cicada · Cecil Smith CC BY
Prairie Cicada · Peter Chen 2.0 CC BY
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Cicadas aren't established in Hawaii, so you might be wondering:
Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
Only 0 verified observations on iNaturalist of cicada have been logged in Hawaii, which fits how rare they are in the state. That low number is itself the most honest answer to whether you are likely to see one here.
Cicadas are not native to Hawaii and are not established in the islands. Unlike mainland states, Hawaii's isolated island ecosystem has no wild cicada populations. Although individual cicadas may occasionally arrive by accident on imported goods, they do not persist or establish breeding populations. Hawaii's cicada-free environment remains one of its distinctive natural characteristics.
Why Cicadas Are Absent from Hawaii
Hawaii's geographic isolation and unique island ecosystem have prevented cicadas from naturally establishing populations. Cicadas evolved on continental North America and spread throughout forests, woodlands, and grasslands of the mainland. The Pacific Ocean creates a natural barrier that prevents most continental insects, including cicadas, from reaching Hawaii on their own. While some insects have arrived in Hawaii through natural dispersal over millions of years, cicadas never made this trip. The island chain's formation is geologically young compared to continents, and its specific ecological conditions have not supported cicada establishment. Even human-driven trade and shipping, which has introduced many non-native species to Hawaii, has not resulted in established cicada populations. Occasionally, a cicada might arrive by accident within a shipment from the mainland, but individual arrivals do not lead to breeding populations. Learn more about/wildlife/hawaiiand the unique insects that do inhabit the islands.
Understanding Hawaii's Unique Island Ecology
Hawaii's islands are home to a completely different set of native insects compared to mainland ecosystems. The archipelago's isolation has resulted in high rates of endemism, meaning many species are found nowhere else on Earth. Native Hawaiian insects include numerous species of flies, wasps, moths, beetles, and other arthropods that have adapted to Hawaii's volcanic landscapes, tropical forests, and dry lowlands. The eight main islands, including Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Niihau, each support distinct ecological areas shaped by volcanic geology and climate. Hawaii's insect fauna evolved without cicadas, and cicadas have never filled any ecological role in Hawaiian habitats. Instead, Hawaiian insects fill various niches and support native birds and other wildlife. The absence of cicadas is completely normal for Hawaii and reflects the islands' natural biodiversity patterns. Many visitors and residents do not even realize that cicadas do not occur in Hawaii. For more on cicada in Hawaii, see ourHawaii cicada guide.
What Cicadas Actually Are
Cicadas are large insects found throughout North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. They belong to the family Cicadidae and are characterized by strong bodies, sturdy legs, and distinctive sound-producing abilities in males. Cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs feeding on root sap, then emerge as winged adults focused on reproduction. Adult cicadas are typically one to two inches long and possess clear or smoky wings held tent-like over their backs. The distinctive buzzing and rasping sounds that characterize cicadas in mainland summer forests are generated by males using drumlike abdominal structures called tymbals. These insects are harmless to humans and provide important food for birds, squirrels, wasps, and other wildlife. Understanding what cicadas are and their mainland distribution helps people appreciate why Hawaii's insect area is so different. Visit/wildlifeto explore the unique characteristics that make Hawaiian insects distinct from continental species.
Mainland Cicada Ranges and Habitats
On the mainland United States, cicadas occur throughout forests, woodlands, and even urban areas from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts and from Canada to Mexico. Eastern United States forests support abundant annual and periodical cicada species. The periodical cicadas of the eastern and midwestern states, emerging every 13 or 17 years in synchronized broods, are particularly famous. Western states including California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona host diverse cicada species adapted to various climates and habitats. Southern states including Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana support year-round or extended-season cicada populations in subtropical and warm-temperate climates. Cicadas occupy woodlands, forests, parks, gardens, and any area with trees that provide root sap for nymphs and branches for adults to lay eggs. The absence of this entire genus from Hawaii demonstrates the profound differences between island and continental ecosystems. Hawaii's lack of cicadas does not indicate an unhealthy environment but rather reflects natural biogeographic patterns. You can also browseHawaii wildlife.
Insects People Confuse with Cicadas on Mainland
On mainland North America, cicadas are sometimes confused with grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids because all are insects that produce sounds, particularly during warm seasons. Grasshoppers are characterized by long hind legs adapted for jumping and short antennae. Crickets have long antennae and produce chirping sounds by rubbing wings together. Katydids resemble large green leaves with wings and produce the distinctive "katy-did" call. Large predatory wasps called cicada killer wasps hunt cicadas but are entirely different insects. None of these insects occur as native populations in Hawaii, which has its own distinctive insects adapted to island conditions. Hawaiian insects include many species of native flies, wasps, beetles, and moths found nowhere else. Understanding how cicadas differ from similar mainland insects helps people recognize why Hawaii's insect area is fundamentally different. The absence of cicadas and their similar relatives is part of what makes Hawaii's natural environment unique and scientifically valuable.
Other Sounds in Hawaiian Environments
While Hawaii lacks the loud buzzing of mainland cicadas, the islands have their own distinctive natural sounds. Native Hawaiian insects produce various calls and sounds suited to tropical island environments. The vocalizations of native birds throughout Hawaii's forests provide constant background sounds. In coastal areas, waves, ocean sounds, and seabirds create the soundscape. Urban areas of Honolulu, Hilo, Maui, and other towns have traffic and human-generated sounds similar to mainland cities. Hawaii's forests and natural areas are quieter in terms of large insect choruses compared to mainland summer forests dominated by cicada sounds. The absence of cicada buzzing is actually one of the quiet characteristics of Hawaii that many visitors and residents appreciate. Evening and nighttime in Hawaiian forests have distinctly different acoustic characteristics compared to eastern or western mainland forests during summer. This difference is a subtle but important aspect of Hawaii's unique sensory environment and natural heritage.
Hawaiian Insects That Fill Similar Ecological Roles
While Hawaii has no cicadas, the islands do have insects that occupy various ecological niches and provide similar ecosystem services as cicadas do on the mainland. Native Hawaiian flies, beetles, and other insects feed on plant sap and vegetation. Some Hawaiian insects serve as important food sources for native birds, just as cicadas feed mainland birds. The Hawaiian hoary bat and other native vertebrates rely on insects for nutrition in ways somewhat analogous to how mainland predators depend on cicadas. Native Hawaiian wasps, like their mainland counterparts, are predatory insects that hunt various prey. However, specific cicada-hunting wasps like cicada killer wasps are not found in Hawaii. The specialized roles that different insect groups fill vary between island and mainland ecosystems due to different evolutionary histories. Hawaii's insects, though completely different from mainland species, fulfill important ecological functions that maintain the health of Hawaiian forests and natural areas. Appreciating/wildlife/hawaii/cicadathrough the lens of what Hawaii does have helps visitors understand island biogeography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Have cicadas ever been introduced to Hawaii? A: While individual cicadas might occasionally arrive by accident on shipments from the mainland, they have not established breeding populations in Hawaii. The islands remain naturally cicada-free. Q: Are there any insects in Hawaii that make loud buzzing sounds like cicadas? A: Some Hawaiian insects produce buzzing or humming sounds, but none match the distinctive loud chirping of mainland cicadas. Native Hawaiian insect sounds are generally less prominent than mainland cicada choruses. Q: Why doesn't Hawaii have cicadas when it has so many other insects? A: Hawaii's island isolation prevented cicadas from naturally colonizing the islands over evolutionary time. Different sets of insects naturally occur in different geographic regions. Q: Would cicadas be a problem if they arrived in Hawaii? A: If cicadas established populations in Hawaii, they might affect native plants and compete with native insects for resources, potentially disrupting the island's unique ecosystem. This is one reason Hawaii carefully monitors agricultural imports and pest species to protect/wildlife/hawaii/cicadaand other island ecosystems.
Plan your cicada sighting in Hawaii
There are no verified cicada records for Hawaii, which fits how uncommon they are here. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Hawaii
- Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Haleakalā National Park · Find hotels
More places to see cicada
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