Neotibicen robinsonianus Davis, 1922 aka Robinson’s Annual Cicada or Robinson’s Cicada
© Kathy Hill.
Song type: Call
Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: N. robinsonianus
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Neotibicen robinsonianus Davis, 1922
- Short Name: N. robinsonianus
- Common Name: Robinson’s Annual Cicada or Robinson’s Cicada
- Synonym/Former Name: Tibicen robinsonianus
- Where it is found: June-October, peaks in August
- Where it is found: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, MD, MS, MO, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: Robinson’s Cicada looks like Linne’s Cicada with less of a wing bend, and a different call. Its call is kind of like N. latifasciatus, but much more raspy.
- Eye Color: black
- Pronotal Collar Color: varies
- Identification: Bug Guide
- Identification: Bill Reynolds on iNaturalist
- Identification: iNaturalist
- Subject Matter Expert website: Cicada Central
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Song: Insect Singers
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen robinsonianus Davis, 1922
List of sources
- 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.
9 replies on “Neotibicen robinsonianus Davis, 1922 aka Robinson’s Annual Cicada or Robinson’s Cicada”
We have many Robinson’s and Scissors Grinders (possibly more than one species) in our trees (also mixed hardwood and cedar with a few pines) in rural NC outside of Liberty. There are some others, but these are preponderant. Robinson’s remind me of small guiros (raspy Latin percussion instruments) being scraped regularly and deliberately. To my ear, they don’t resemble any other cicada listed on cicadamania.com.
We have many Robinson’s and Scissors Grinders (possibly more than one species) in our trees (also mixed hardwood and cedar with a few pines) in rural NC outside of Liberty. There are some others, but these are preponderant. Robinson’s remind me of small guiros (raspy Latin percussion instruments) being scraped regularly and deliberately. To mu ear, they don’t resemble any other cicada listed on cicadamania.com.
Photo is of an N. lyricen.
Why do you say that? The cicada in the photo was identified by Kathy Hill, author of the paper https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.3985.2.3. Her and her husband David Marshall are the experts on Neotibicen. I know a lot of people look for the band of white pruinose on the cicada’s back, but that is not conclusive.
Why is the Robinson’s cicada not listed with the common cicadas of North America? I hear them every summer and in several different locations.
Where is it not listed? On Common Cicadas of North America? It’s because I do not have a photo of one. Take a photo, send it to me and I will add it. 🙂
I found a photo and added Robinson’s Cicada to Common Cicadas of North America
I believe I have Robinson’s Cicada on my property (mixed hardwood/cedar plus some pines). Is there any other species with a similar song?
Karen
Spencer, IN
Hello! Neotibicen pruinosus has a similar call but it is higher pitched. It sounds like a “sped up” version Neotibicen robinsomianus.