Thank you, Coleman Cobbs, for these photos of a Neotibicen similaris cicada. The cicada was found in from Rapides Parish, Louisiana. This cicada looks “similar” to many other species of Neotibicen cicadas aka “Dog Day”.
Category: Neotibicen
Most of my cicada experience happens in the state of New Jersey, particularly central New Jersey (which does exist: it is comprised of Middlesex, Sommerset, Hunterdon and Mercer counties). Typically, in central and northern New Jersey, the summer cicada season will kick off in late June with the emergence of Neotibicen lyricen and end with the grinding calls of Neotibicen canicularis in the middle of September. Central New Jersey has these annual cicada species: Neotibicen lyricen (both sub-species), Neotibicen linnei, Neotibicen tibicen, Neotibicen winnemanna, Neotibicen canicularis, and possibly Megatibicen grossus in the south, and Okanagana rimosa in the north-west. Periodical cicadas are also found in the area, but not in the summer, and not in 2024.
Neotibicen tibicen aka Morning Cicadas (most call them Swamp Cicadas — I do not because it is not a helpful description) are abundant in my location and do well with both Spruce and Maple trees.
The summer of 2024 was a strange one:
- I didn’t find my first Morning (Neotibicen tibicen tibicen) cicada until July 7th (about a week late), found my last one on August 9th (about two weeks early).
- The last cicada I heard sing was during the last week of August, about two weeks early.
- June high temperatures were 5 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than average (avg. 1991-2020), and there was 30% less precipitation. A HOT and DRY start.
- July high temperatures were 2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than average (avg. 1991-2020), and there was 20% less precipitation. A hot and DRY mid-season.
- August high temps were flat, but there was +51% more precipitation. Average temperatures, and wet finale.
- I used Weather Underground for 2024 averages, and Current Results for historical data.
- It is worth nothing that Cicada Killer Wasps were plentiful and productive.
Neotibicen cicadas are around every where, but there are good years and great years. 2024 was not great. I don’t know if the extra HOT and dry weather had an impact, but it may have. Lots of “maybes”.
Here’s some photos of molting Neotibicen tibicen for you to enjoy:
Neotibicen cicadas come in a variety of pastel colors when they are in their teneral (soft) phase, when they inflate their wings and harden their bodies after molting their nymphal skins. Teneral Neotibicen can feature the colors pink, yellow and blue, in addition to pastel versions of the oranges, browns and greens we commonly see on their fully-hardened adult bodies.
Here’s an example of a male Neotibicen lyricen that was pink when it was teneral:
Here’s photos of the same cicada as a nymph and a hardened adult. See that its mesonotum are black and brown, not green and brown. It’s closer to a Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti than the Neotibicen lyricen lyricen, which has green on its mesonotum (the cicada’s shield-like back).
Hardened adult:
Photos of a Neotibicen tibicen tibicen aka Morning or Swamp cicada from August 28th, 2016. The cicada was found in Monmouth county, NJ.
Click/tab the thumbnail images for big versions:
Visit Gallery #1 for the start of the transformation.
This cicada is a female:
Visit Gallery #1 for the start of the transformation.
This is a series of Neotibicen canicularis Northern Dog-Day cicada photos from Lakewood, NJ taken by Elias Bonaros.
Click the photos for larger versions:
A recently molted male Neotibicen canicularis cicada:
A recently molted male Neotibicen canicularis cicada:
A molting Neotibicen canicularis cicada:
This is a photo of a teneral (soft) Neotibicen lyricen cicada by Elias Bonaros.
Click the photo for a larger version:
This is a photo by Elias Bonaros of a teneral (soft) Neotibicen linnei cicada and its exuvia (molted skin). It was taken in 2009, and knowing Elias, probably in New York or New Jersey.
Click the photo from a larger version:
Neotibicen linnei teneral and its exuvia:
Here are two Cicada Killer Wasp photos by Elias Bonaros. The Cicada Killer Wasp has captured a Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada. These photos are from 2009.
Yes, Elias is holding the wasp and cicada on has hand!
Click the image for a larger version:
Cicada Killer Wasp and Neotibicen tibicen:
Cicada Killer Wasp and Neotibicen tibicen:
Occasionally similar cicada species mate and form hybrids. Neotibicen linnei aka Linne’s Cicada exists in most of New Jersey and Neotibicen winnemanna aka Eastern Scissors Grinder exists in central and south-western New Jersey. These two species are known to hybridize. The other day I heard a cicada and wasn’t quite sure what it was. The tone sounded like Linne’s Cicada but the rhythm was like the Eastern Scissors Grinder. Is it a hybrid? The good people over on the Cicada Discussion, Science and Study Group say it’s likely a hybrid.
Here’s the audio:
Maybe the most interesting thing is proof of the existence of Eastern Scissors Grinder in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Others have heard them in East Brunswick as well.
Spectrogram:
Or listen on YouTube:
The last Neotibicen tibicen tibicen I found in 2023, on August 13th.
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.