Description: Coloration varies from rusty browns to greens, on black. Sounds like an angle grinder. Song is similar to N. canicularis & N. davisi, and looks like N. davisi.
There are two subspecies of Neocicada hieroglyphica: Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica (Say, 1830) and Neocicada hieroglyphica johannis (Walker, 1850). According to Wm. T. Davis, a key difference is: on N. hieroglyphica johannis, “the black marks on the head, pronotum and mesonotum are more in the form of spots than of continuous lines as in typical hieroglyphica”.
Short Names: N. hieroglyphica hieroglyphica and N. hieroglyphica johannis
Former name/synonyms: Cicada hieroglyphica
Common Name: Hieroglyphic Cicada
When: May-August. Peaks in June.
Where are they found: N. hieroglyphica hieroglyphica is found in AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and N. hieroglyphica johannis is found in Florida
A description by Wm. T. Davis from MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES1:
Cicada hieroglyphica Say.
Occurs from Riverhead, Long Island, N. Y., to eastern Kansas and southward. In peninsular Florida the variety johannis Walker replaces the typical form. The black marks on the head, pronotum and mesonotum are more in the form of spots than of continuous lines as in typical hieroglyphica.
The song does not continue long, but sometimes, as in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, the insects appear in numbers, when their united effort produces a considerable noise.
(1) Davis, W.T. 1918. MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Journal New York Entomological Society. Volume 26. Read it on Archive.org.
Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Description: Rust/orange, black & white pruinosity, which forms distinct markings, such as a line of white dots down the dorsal side of the abdomen. Sounds like N. tremulus. Has a call that sounds like a rapid series of clicks.
Habitat notes from ANNOTATED LIST OF COLORADO CICADAS by Wm T. Davis 1
Dr. Raymond H. Beamer, in an account of his collecting trip in Kansas in 1916, writes that dorsata was the most widely spread and abundant species taken. It was commonly found on low shrubs or weeds and grass, often on barren hill tops.
Locations from Wm. T. Davis’ MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES1
Prof. R. W. Harned has contributed the following note : “In regard to the distribution of Tibicen vitripennis I am inclined to think that this insect will only be found on low ground or in swampy places. This insect seems to be fairly prevalent in what is known as the delta section of Mississippi or the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. This is the alluvial western part of the state. This species is also fairly abun- dant in* similar soils in Arkansas and Louisiana. The first time that I ever noticed this species was late in June, 1912. I found them quite numerous in fields at Palmyra Island, south of Vicksburg. I was surprised to find them coming out of the ground several hundred yards away from any perennial plants. They were also emerging from soil that had been under water a few weeks before. The spe- cies is quite common in the cotton fields of the delta.”
The distribution seems to be confined to the central United States. Specimens have been examined from Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkan- sas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana.
Key to Species:
AA. Small species; uncus wish-bone shaped, and first cross view in the fore wings starting from about the middle of the first marginal cell.
GG. First and second cross veins of fore wings not clouded, wings clear throughout and expanding about 70 mm.
Head proportionately smaller than in the last; front more pro- truding;- collar not so contrastingly colored and fore wings narrower vitripennis (Say).
A visual description from Wm. T Davis’ NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL NEW SPECIES 2
What we have identified as this species is an insect with green in its coloring as mentioned by its describer; not entirely orange and black as in Cicada eugraphica from further west.
Davis, W.T. 1919. MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXVI, Nos. 3-4. Read on archive.org
David, W.T. 1916. NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL
NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol. X?ilV, No. I. Read on archive.org
Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
