cicada fascinating insects fiji

At a Glance

The rainforests and dry forests of Fiji are home to thousands of remarkable plants and animals, including nearly 5,000 species of insects. Among these, twenty species are cicadas—and all are endemic, found nowhere else on Earth. One of the most fascinating is the Nanai (Raiateana knowlesi), Fiji’s periodical cicada. The Nanai is unique not only to Fiji but also to the entire southern hemisphere, as it is the only periodical cicada found south of the equator. Out of more than 3,000 cicada species worldwide, only nine are known to have such synchronized life cycles. The Nanai’s life cycle lasts eight years, making its emergence a rare and celebrated event.

Fun Quiz

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In Depth

Despite its cultural importance, much remained unknown about the Nanai’s ecology and life cycle due to its long intervals between emergences and the brief lifespan of adults. However, efforts led by NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, the National Trust of Fiji, and researchers from Fiji National University helped to shed light on this remarkable species. These studies aimed to document its distribution, understand its role in forest ecosystems, and preserve traditional knowledge associated with it. The 2025 emergence of the Nanai was a moment of celebration and scientific discovery—a reminder of Fiji’s rich natural heritage and a call to ensure the continued survival of this extraordinary insect.

Common NameScientific NameFoundLifespan
NanaiRaiateana knowlesiParts of the Serua and, Nadroga/ Navosa provinces on the main island of Viti Levu2 Weeks

Anatomy & Lifecycle of a Fiji Cicada

Lifecycle of the Nanai Cicada scaled

Early on, the eggs were laid deep in tree branches. Within their first year, the young nymphs hatched, fell to the ground, and burrowed in, spending the next seven years underground feeding on root sap. In the eighth year—usually around the beginning of the wet season—rising soil temperatures were believed to signal the Nanai to emerge. After dark, millions of nymphs climbed up trees, shed their shells, and transformed into winged adults. For a brief period of one to two months, the forests of Viti Levu came alive with the loud, rhythmic calls of male Nanai.

Anatomy of the Nanai Cicada scaled

The Fijian cicada, or Nanai (Raiateana knowlesi), is a large and striking insect, with males around 33 mm long and females ranging from 29 to 35 mm. Its wings are long and delicate, and what sets it apart from other Fijian cicadas is the rusty reddish tinge at the base of its wings and the black markings on its body. Like all insects, it has three main body parts—the head, thorax, and abdomen—and six legs. Its wings only develop in the final stage of its life, when it emerges from the ground and sheds its hard outer shell. Cicadas belong to the order Hemiptera, and in Fiji, cicadas are generally called “makā,” but this species is the only one known as the “Nanai.”

Fun Facts

Reverse side of the 2012 Fiji $100 polymer banknote with cultural symbols

Nanai Cicada on the Fijian $100 Banknote

The Nanai cicada was chosen to appear on the Fijian $100 banknote as a symbol of national identity and cultural pride. Its inclusion reflects the deep connection between Fiji’s natural environment and its traditions, recognising the insect’s enduring presence in local life and heritage. By featuring the Nanai alongside other native flora and fauna, the note celebrates the rich biodiversity that defines the Fijian islands.

Nanai A Traditional Delicacy of Navosa

Nanai is a sought-after food, especially in the Navosa province where the adults are collected as they emerge from their final nymphal shells and tied together in chains and cooked. lt is usually cooked in bamboo stems before it is served with coconut milk. The taste is more or less like prawns roasted over charcoal.  Women also use Nanai for bait when they go out fishing.

Nanai Featured on Fiji’s Stamps 2025

To celebrate this remarkable insect, Post Fiji issued a special stamp collection depicting the stages of the Nanai’s emergence. Each stamp beautifully illustrates the transformation—from the nymph climbing the tree and shedding its skin, to the adult cicada unfurling its wings and taking flight. The detailed artwork captures the wonder of this once-every-eight-years event, honoring the Nanai’s ecological and cultural importance.

  • Fiji postage stamp showing rare Nanai cicadas emerging after eight years, Stage 5.
  • Fiji postage stamp depicting Nanai cicadas in Stage 4 of their rare eight-year emergence cycle.
  • Fiji postage stamp showing Nanai cicadas at Stage 3 of their rare eight-year emergence cycle.
  • Fiji postage stamp showing Nanai cicadas at Stage 2 of their rare eight-year emergence cycle.
  • Fiji postage stamp showing Nanai cicadas in Stage 1 of their rare eight-year emergence.

The Tale of the Fiji Cicada

Mai Veikau Tales of Fijian Wildlife

Long ago, two warring chiefs from different clans of Navosa—Cabeta of the Burenitu clan and Lewatu ni Bovitu of the Noimalu clan—met beside a stream in the hills of Viti Levu to make peace and decide exactly where the boundary between their lands should be.

After much arguing, they agreed that the Nadoi Creek, a tributary of the Sigatoka River, would be the perfect boundary between the Burenitu (Serua) and Noimalu (Navosa) communities. To strengthen the agreement, they exchanged traditional gifts. Lewatu ni Bovitu of Noimalu went first, presenting Cabeta with prawns, fresh from the river, saying, “Tavale, this is the Ura Dina, and from now on these prawns will be your food. There will always be plenty in your streams, and they will never run out!” To this day, the Ura Dina (freshwater shrimp, Macrobrachium lar) is the totem fish for the Burenitu Clan in Serua Province.

Then it was Cabeta’s turn. He produced a small cicada, which he presented to Lewatu ni Bovitu, saying, “Tavale, this is the Nanai. From now on, these cicadas will be your food, but they will only appear on your land every eight years.” To this day, the Nanai (Raiateana knowlesi) is the totem for the Noimalu Clan in Navosa. Lewatu ni Bovitu thanked Cabeta, took the Nanai home, and released it under a shady tree beside his favourite bathing pool, which he named ‘Nubu ni Nanai.’

Just as Cabeta had promised, the Nanai only appeared every eight years, but in huge numbers. After just a month, they gathered at the ancient shady tree at Nubu ni Nanai, where they sang loudly all day. When night began to fall, they all died, fell into the pool, and disappeared.

This abbreviated story is one of the 32 tales featured in Dr. Dick Watling’s book, Mai Veikau: Tales of Fijian Wildlife, published by NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, and can be purchased here.

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FURTHER READING: For those interested in exploring this topic further, additional resources and in-depth materials are provided below when available; otherwise, no further reading is included at this time.:

REFERENCES: This guide is based on over a decade of research and firsthand experience living in Fiji. It incorporates extensive knowledge gained through long-term residence and ongoing engagement with the region. Images and text have been sourced from official references, which are acknowledged below, to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness.

FOOTNOTES: Additional details, clarifications, or sources referenced in this article are included as Footnotes below the text when applicable; otherwise, no Footnotes are provided.