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January 6, 2024

Cacama variegata Davis, 1919 aka Variegated Cactus Dodger

Filed under: Cacama | Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Dan @ 9:46 pm

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Cacama
Species: Cacama variegata Davis, 1919

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Diceroprocta bibbyi Davis, 1928 aka Scrub Cicada

Filed under: Diceroprocta | Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Dan @ 9:44 pm

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta bibbyi Davis, 1928

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Diceroprocta canescens Davis, 1935 aka Scrub Cicada

Filed under: Diceroprocta | Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Dan @ 9:42 pm

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta canescens Davis, 1935

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Diceroprocta lata Davis, 1941 aka Scrub Cicada

Filed under: Diceroprocta | Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Dan @ 9:40 pm

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta lata Davis, 1941

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Hadoa chisosensis Davis, 1934

Filed under: Hadoa | Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Dan @ 9:37 pm

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Hadoa
Species: Hadoa chisosensis (Uhler, 1905)

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

June 29, 2021

Jennifer Angus: Magicicada, a cicada art exhibit at the Staten Island Museum

Filed under: Arts & Crafts | Magicicada | William T. Davis — Dan @ 10:47 am

The Staten Island Museum is home to William T. Davis’ massive collection of cicadas and other insects. A new exhibition of insect-based art opens on July 16 at the Staten Island Museum, by artist Jennifer Angus.

Jennifer Angus 2
Art by Jennifer Angus.

Here’s the press release.

For Immediate Release

Jennifer Angus: Magicicada
New exhibition of insect-based art opens July 16 at the Staten Island Museum

(Staten Island, NY — June 29, 2021) As Brood X wanes, cicadas emerge anew at the Staten Island Museum with Jennifer Angus: Magicicada, a new exhibition opening Friday, July 16 2021 and running through May 22, 2022.

Magicicada is an immersive exhibit featuring exquisite ornamental patterns and imaginative vignettes created by artist Jennifer Angus using hundreds of preserved insects. Taking inspiration from the Museum’s collection of cicadas- one of the world’s largest- the installation will feature over two dozen species of cicada, including Brood X periodical cicadas, or Magicicadas, collected during the 2021 emergence.

“Cicadas, and Magicicada in particular, have a deep connection and meaning to the Staten Island Museum. Founder William T. Davis was the cicada expert during his lifetime and was even the one who coined the name Magicicada, capturing the wonder of the periodical cicadas’ mass emergences and long disappearances. It is especially poignant that this exhibit is opening as we are also remerging into the world after a time of darkness. I am hopeful that it can bring people a sense of joy and wonder after a time of profound loss.” Colleen Evans, Staten Island Museum Director of Natural Science.

Using responsibly collected and preserved specimens, Angus creates site-specific installations with hundreds of insects pinned directly to walls, creating patterns reminiscent of textiles or wallpaper. Up close, the installations reveal themselves to be comprised of actual insects, often species that are not traditionally considered beautiful. Angus’s installations also include Victorian-style insect dioramas in antique furniture and bell jars. Her work motivates viewers to find beauty in unexpected places and to understand the importance of insects and other creatures to our world.

In preparation for this exhibit, Angus spent time in the Museum’s extensive natural history collections to help shape the finished show. Select objects and specimens from the natural science collection, including retired collection storage and historic taxidermy, will be featured throughout the gallery amidst Angus’s fanciful arthropod arrangements. During the spring Brood X emergence, she traveled to Princeton, NJ along with the Museum’s Director of Natural Science, Colleen Evans, and Joseph Yoon from Brooklyn Bugs to observe and collect cicadas for the show.

Artist Jennifer Angus states: “I often say that the meat and potatoes of my installations are cicadas. They come big and small. Tropical species often can have colourful wings causing many people to assume they are moths, but unlike those insects, cicadas are tough, hardy creatures standing up to repeated use in my art installations. I could not have been more delighted when the SIM contacted me, and I learned of founder William T. Davis’ passion for cicadas which were an under documented species in his day. I have had the privilege of exploring the SIM’s collection, the one of the largest of cicadas in the world, and have been inspired by these mysterious creatures who spend most of their lives underground but upon emerging let us all know of their presence with loud calls. That Brood X periodical cicadas have emerged this year as well is a joyous event and has brought considerable notice to cicadas. I deeply appreciate the assistance provided by the SIM’s staff in working with me to celebrate the cicada.”

Magicicada is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Staten Island Museum is supported in part by public funds provided through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and by the New York State Council on the Arts.

Exhibition Related Programing

Brood X Sounding Off: Saturday, July 17, 2 pm — 3 pm
Cicada Talk with Colleen Evans, Director of Natural Science

Virtual Artist Talk: Sunday, September 19, 3 pm-4 pm
Registration Required

Staten Island Museum is located on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, Staten Island, NY 10301.

About the Artist:

Jennifer Angus is a professor in the Design Studies department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she teaches in the Textile and Apparel Design Program. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and her Master of Fine Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Jennifer has exhibited work throughout the world and at galleries such as the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C. and the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jennifer Angus
Art by Jennifer Angus.

June 12, 2021

Okanagana aurantiaca Davis, 1917

Filed under: Okanagana | Tibicinini | William T. Davis — Dan @ 8:57 am

Okanagana aurantiaca Davis, 1917.

From Davis’ 2020 Key

A. Male uncus not hooked at the extremity, sometimes sinuate.

B. Expanse of fore wings more than 50 mm.

CC. The base of the fore and hind wings not of the usual orange-red variegated with black.

Body and wing venation nearly entirely orange; basal cell of fore wings clear; a black band between the eyes, and a conspicuous dorsal band of the same color extending from the hind margin of the pronotum to the end of the abdomen.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genus: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana aurantiaca Davis, 1917.

List of sources

  1. Davis, William T. Cicadas of the genera Okanagana, Tibicinoides and Okanagodes, with descriptions of several new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. v27. 179-223. 1919. Link.

April 18, 2020

Davis’ Key to Species of the Genus Tibicen found in the Southeastern United States

Davis provided a key of cicadas that belong to the then genus Tibicen in his 1918 article Mississippi Cicadas, with a Key to the Species of the Southeastern United States from volume 26 of the Journal of The New York Entomological Society. Download it from archive.org. This guide works for the Northeast and Midwest as well.

Mississippi Cicadas

Since 1918, genus and some species names have changed, so I’m going to present the key here, with highlighted notes on the updated names + images (when I have them). I’ll try to replicate the formatting of the original document as best I can.

Here goes…

Key to Species of the Genus Tibicen found in the Southeastern United States [works for most states east of the Rocky Mountains].

Note: the cicadas in the key are now organized in three genera: Neotibicen (A B), Megatibicen (A BB), and Diceroprocta (AA).

A. Large, heavy-bodied species; head broad, uncus [male genitals] simple, and first cross vein in the fore wings starting from radius 3 far back or about one-third distant from base of the first marginal cell.

     B. Uncus longer than broad. Black species with green or greenish markings and black area on the central part of the abdomen beneath, except in sayi [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen tibicen], and new variety of davisi [new variety of davisi = Neotibicen davisi harnedi].

Note: this group of cicadas (B) are now organized under the genus Neotibicen, not Tibicen.

         C. Hind margin of pronotum or collar, green or greenish.

             A narrow irregular area of black on the under side of the abdomen; opercula short and broad, and usually in the males an attenuated, pruinose [frosty white] stripe each side on the dorsum of segment three … pruinosa (Say). [pruinosa = Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus].

N. pruinosus

Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus
photo by Paul Krombholz.

             Dorsum of abdomen with the hind margin of the segments more or less brown and generally but a trace of pruinose stripe each side on segment three … pruinosa var. winnemanna (Davis) [pruinosa var. winnemanna = Neotibicen winnemanna].

[Generally speaking, east of the Appalachian mountains, you’ll find Neotibicen winnemanna, and west, it’s Neotibicen pruinosus.]

Neotibicen winnemanna Garner NC
Photo of a Neotibicen winnemanna.

             Dorsum of abdomen shining black with a broad pruinose mark each side on segment three; blackened area on under side of abdomen more in the nature of an even stripe … pruinosa var latifasciata (Davis) [pruinosa var. latifasciata = Neotibicen latifasciatus].

             A longitudinal band of black on the under side of the abdomen, the opercula more lobate, and the margin of the front wings suddenly bent near the middle … linnei (Smith & Grossbeck) [linnei = Neotibicen linnei].

Neotibicen linnei
Photo of a Neotibicen linnei.

             A definite longitudinal band of black on the under side of the abdomen; head with the front rather prominent. Not a large species … canicularis (Harris) [canicularis = Neotibicen canicularis].

             An irregular band of black on the under side of the abdomen, head rounded in front; a rather small species … davisi (Smith & Grossbeck) [davisi = Neotibicen davisi davisi].

             Abdomen greenish centrally on under side, blackened area wanting, marginal cells of fore wings clouded … davisi var. harnedi new variety [davisi var. harnedi = Neotibicen davisi harnedi].

Krombholz Davisi compared
Photo by Paul Krombhold. Neotibicen davisi harnedi (left), Neotibicen davisi davisi (right).

        CC. Hind margin of pronotum or collar black or nearly so (except in sayi var. australis).

            D. Central area of the abdomen beneath black.

                 Opercula long and with the legs usually somewhat chest- nut colored ; the uncus when seen in profile forked, resembling the open mouth of a snake … similaris (Smith & Grossbeck) [similaris = Neotibicen similaris similaris].

                 Opercula much shorter, more rounded, and the black area on the under side of the abdomen in the nature of an even stripe. Uncus not forked … lyricen (De Geer) [lyricen = Neotibicen lyricen lyricen].

                 Blacker than typical lyricen, lacking the considerable amount of fulvous markings on the pronotum and mesonotum. A fulvous somewhat anchor-shaped mark centrally on the pronotum … lyricen var. engelhardti (Davis) [lyricen var. engelhardti = Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti].

            DD. Central area of the abdomen not black beneath, often pruinose, as well as the long opercula.

                 Collar black, often with a greenish spot each side near the outer angles. … sayi (Smith & Grossbeck) [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen tibicen].

                 Collar all green or nearly so, as well as the pronotum and mesonotum … sayi var. australis (Davis) [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen australis].

    BB. The uncus is broad at the base, triangular in shape, and generally about as broad as long. Opercula broad and rounded at the extremities no definite black area on the central part of the abdomen beneath, usually unicolorus.

Note: this group of cicadas (BB) are now organized under the genus Megatibicen, not Tibicen.

         E. Wings long and narrow, collar 2 mm. or less in breadth at central portions ; dorsum of abdomen black or nearly so.

             Basal cell of fore wings rusty in color, anal cells (membranes) of both pair of wings gray; usually expands 110 mm. or more … resonans (Walker) [resonans = Megatibicen resonans].

Neotibicen resonans photos by Joe Green from 2007, taken in Florida.
Photo of a Megatibicen resonans by Joe Green.

             Basal cell of fore wings often black or nearly so, anal cells of both pair of wings yellowish. Expands about 100 mm … figurata (Walker) [figurata = Megatibicen figuratus].

M. figurata
Photo of a Megatibicen figuratus by Paul Krombholz.

         EE. Wings broad, hind margin of the pronotum or collar green or greenish and more than 2 mm. broad.

             F. Anal cells or membranes at base of fore and hind wings gray.

                 Dorsal segments of the abdomen not margined with brown ; in fresh specimens the basal segments pruinose, also the terminal segments, leaving the four middle segments black. A large species expanding over 110 mm. … grossus (Fabricius) [grossus = Megatibicen grossus].

Megatibicen auletes, the largest cicada in North America
Photo of a Megatibicen auletes.

             FF. Anal cells or membranes at base of fore and hind wings light orange, two prominent marks on the mesonotum resembling the Hebrew letter resh inverted.

                 Fore wings with the first and second cross veins clouded, and the dorsum of the abdomen brownish or brownish black … resh (Haldeman) [resh = Megatibicen resh].

Megatibicen resh molting adult
Photo of a Megatibicen resh.

                 Fore wings with the first and second cross veins but faintly or not at all clouded and the abdominal segments margined posteriorly with brown. In fresh specimens there is usually a median row of white spots on the dorsum of the abdomen … marginalis (Walker) [marginalis = Megatibicen pronotalis walkeri].

Megatibicen pronotalis photo by Roy Troutman, taken in Batavia, Ohio
Photo of a Megatibicen pronotalis walkeri by Roy Troutman.

AA. Small species; wings starting from about the middle of the first marginal cell.

Note: this group of cicadas (AA) are now organized under the genus Diceroprocta, not Tibicen.

     G. First and second cross veins of fore wings clouded.

         Expanse of wings about 90 mm … biconica (Walker) [biconica = Diceroprocta biconica].

         Expanse of wings about 60 mm … olympusa (Walker) [olympusa = Diceroprocta olympusa].

Diceroprocta olympusa photos by Joe Green from 2007.
Photo of a Diceroprocta olympusa by Joe Green.

     GG. First and second cross veins of fore wings not clouded, wings clear throughout and expanding about 70 mm.

         Head rather large, front rounded, collar greenish or yellowish and contrasted in color rather sharply with the brown and black of pronotum and mesonotum … viridifascia (Walker) [viridifascia = Diceroprocta viridifascia].

         Head proportionately smaller than in the last ; front more pro- truding;- collar not so contrastingly colored and fore wings narrower … vitripennis (Say) [vitripennis = Diceroprocta vitripennis].


Diceroprocta vitripennis photo by Paul Krombholz.

and that’s all folks…

April 13, 2020

Pacarina puella Davis, 1923 aka Little Mesquite Cicada

Filed under: Audio, Sounds, Songs | Fidicinini | Pacarina | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 7:56 pm

Pacarina puella Davis, 1923 aka Little Mesquite Cicada.

Image

Pacarina puella Davis, 1923
Photo credit: Pacarina by John Beard in Atascosa County, TX.

All Pacarina puella information & images on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: P. puella

Name, Location and Description

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
Subtribe: Guyalnina
Genus: Pacarina
Species: Pacarina puella Davis, 1923

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. 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.

Okanagana bella Davis, 1919 aka Mountain Cicada

Filed under: Audio, Sounds, Songs | Okanagana | Tibicinini | U.S.A. | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 7:32 pm

Okanagana bella Davis, 1919 aka Mountain Cicada.

Image

Okanagana bella Davis, 1919
Photo credit: Okanagana bella (female) by Matt Berger

All Okanagana bella information & images on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: O. bella

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: O. bella

Name, Location and Description

From Davis’ key to Okanagana1:

A. Male uncus not hooked at the extremity, sometimes sinuate.

B. Expanse of fore wings more than 50 mm.

C. Base of fore and hind wings orange-red more or less variegated with black.

DD. The outer edge of the front wing of a more continuous curve. Medium-sized species, except schaefferi, which is large.

EE. Legs, especially the front pair considerably blackened.

F. Shining species with rather broad wings, and the hind margin of pronotum orange or reddish.

Of a slightly blueish tint, otherwise colored about as in the last species, but the costal margin of the fore wings to the end of the radial cell often bright orange, the basal cell clouded sometimes blackened. Pronotum usually plainly edged with orange on sides as well as on hind margin. Head not as blunt when viewed from above as in occidentalis, proportionately narrower and with little hair behind the eyes, also less hairy beneath. The last ventral segment of the female not doubly notched, or the second notch but feebly indicated. Expands about 60 mm.

Similar cicadas: Okanagana schaefferi Davis, 1915 and Okanagana occidentalis (Walker in Lord, 1866).

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genus: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana bella Davis, 1919

List of sources

  1. Davis, William T. Cicadas of the genera Okanagana, Tibicinoides and Okanagodes, with descriptions of several new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. v27. 179-223. 1919. Link.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. 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.

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