This one I can’t figure out, mostly because it’s well dead. Sheri T. took the photo.
The yellow eyes might be due to its postmortem condition, but they do make the specimen interesting.
August 29, 2007
August 25, 2007
ID the Tibicen
Brian Baldwin sent over some cicada photos for an ID. Here’s my guesses (below). If you have a more accurate guess, post it in the Comments.
T. dorsatus (formerly T. dorsata):
At first I thought T. walkeri, but now I’m leaning towards Brain’s guess of T. superbus. This would be the first superbus with a brown mesonotum that I’ve ever seen.:
T. dealbatus (formerly dealbata):
August 17, 2007
Tibicens
I snagged a couple of Tibicen today.
A colorful Tibicen tibicen (T. chloromerus, T. chloromera):
and a, um… lyricen, maybe (I’ve never seen one quite like this):
They were still moving a little when I took the photos.
Collecting and Photographing Cicadas
Gerry Bunker has published an online guide to Pinning, Labeling and Preserving Your Cicadas. This is excellent information if you plan to start a collection.
If you would rather photograph cicadas instead, read How to Photograph Bugs and Insects. Over the years Roy Troutman has supplied Cicada Mania with many excellent macro photos of cicadas. Fans of macro photography will also appreciate these photos by Todd Quinn, Vic Fazio’s Tibicen dorsatus and my Tibicen tibicen (T. chloromerus, T. chloromera).
And just for the heck of it, here’s a list of insect ID websites:
Bug Guide, Insect Identification, What’s that Bug, and Insect Identifier.
Normally I can get the ID of a cicada fairly quickly, thanks to folks like Gerry and Paul Krombholz. Aside from Locusts, the insect most people confuse with cicadas is the Sphinx Moth.
August 14, 2007
Newark Star Ledger Interview
Hey!
I was interviewed by the Newark Star Ledger for their Jersey Blogs section.
August 12, 2007
Let’s start the week with more videos from Phoebe
Other calling cicada from Cali:
Not Phoebe’s video, but a Magicicada documentary:
Not Phoebe’s video, The Cicada Chorus is a song that is composed of cicada sounds. Most of the video in the video is actually Roy Troutman’s video footage. Watch the video below, and then find the original video here.
Uninvited House Guest
Tom Lehmkuhl send us this photo of an uninvited house guest (Tibicen linnae):
Last night at about 9:30 PM I opened our back door to let our dog out and
thought I felt something brush against my leg while the door was open. Next
think I know my wife is screaming in the living room as a cicada is bombing
around the room like a drunk pilot! It’s amazing how big a cicada looks
when it is flying indoors, bouncing off of your walls, wings buzzing…After several passes within a few inches of my wife’s head, he (she?) came
to rest on our kitchen floor. Carefully using a small glass and a post card
I was able to capture the cicada and set it free. The next morning he was
right where I left him the night before, sitting on our porch, so it seemed
like a good opportunity to snap a photo. See attached…
More cicadas from Spain
Iván Jesus Torresano García sent us another 44 photos of Tibicen plebejus, and several YouTube videos.
Photos: Iván Jesus Torresano García’s Second Tibicen Gallery
Some YouTube videos:
Momento en el que finaliza de emerger Cicada 27/June/2007.
Tibicen plebejus recién cogida del parque Forestal Entrevías:
Tibicen plebejus recogida del parque.Emergiendo.27/June/2007
Lyristes plebejus or Tibicen plebejus?Emerging 27/June/2007.
Here’s a cicada news cast from Spain:
Tibicen from Davenport, Iowa
Ben sent us these photos of a Tibicen taken in Davenport Iowa. Anyone want to venture a guess at the exact species?
August 10, 2007
Cicada from Kyrenia, Cyprus
Wendy submitted this photo of a cicada taken this July in Kyrenia, Cyprus (yes, the island nation in the Mediterranean sea). I’m excited any time I can expand the international diversity of cicada photos on this website.
