Cicada Mania

Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.

March 16, 2013

Tettigarcta tomentosa

Filed under: Australia | Tettigarcta — Dan @ 2:46 pm

There are two families of cicadas, Cicadidae (most cicadas) and Tettigarctidae (only two species). The two species in the Tettigarctidae family are Tettigarcta crinita, of southern Australia, and Tettigarcta tomentosa, of Tasmania. Cicadas of the family Tettigarctidae have ancestral morphology, similar to fossilized cicadas1. They are known for their hairy appearance.

Here are some morphological differences between the two cicada families:

family Tettigarcta Cicadidae
Tymbal (Makes the cicada’s noise) poorly developed in both sexes well developmed in males
Tympana (listening apparatus) no yes
Pronotum (covers the dorsal area of the thorax) expands over mesonotum ends at pronotal collar
Pronotal collar (separates pronotum from mesonotum) no yes
Cruciform elevation (a cross shaped structure on mesonotum) no yes

1See Allen F. Sanborn’s document Overview of Cicada Morphology for more information.

Here’s a photo of the Tettigarcta tomentosa from different angles (click the image for a closer view):

Tettigarctidae sp.

Cicada News for March 2013

Filed under: News — Dan @ 12:06 pm

There’s going to be a lot of cicada news this year, so I’m going to start publishing a regular cicada news feature. Here is a recap of news for March, so far.

Two articles that are getting a lot of buzz:

The 17-Year Cicadas Are Coming in the Business Insider.

The Cicadas Are Coming! Crowdsourcing An Underground Movement on NPR.

Flying salt shakers of death, written by Angie Macias, is an article about the Massospora fungus that attacks cicadas.

Cicadas’ antibacterial trick may help humans, written by Russell McLendon, is an article about how the structure of cicada wings help them defend themselves from bacteria. “Scientists have found tiny spikes on cicada wings that rupture and kill bacterial cells — a disease-fighting strategy that might also work in manmade materials”.

February 4, 2013

A day at the Staten Island Museum

Filed under: Edward Johnson | Hemisciera | United States | William T. Davis — Dan @ 10:51 pm

I spent most of the day at the Staten Island Museum. The Staten Island Museum has North America’s largest collection of cicadas — over 35,000 specimens!!! Most, if not all the specimens came from William T. Davis’ personal collection. Davis was a naturalist and entomologist located in Staten Island, NY, who was active in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Read more about the collection.

The museum is currently working on a huge cicada exhibit and many cicada events throughout the year. The They’re Baaack! Return of the 17-year Cicada Family Day event will happen in a few weeks.

Here’s a few shots of the museum and the collection I took with my camera phone:

Part of their giant Wall of Insects:

Wall of Insects

Number 39 in that photo is Hemisciera maculipennis, aka the “stop and go cicada”. When alive the cicada’s coloring is green and red, like a traffic signal. Here is a photo of a live H. maculipennis.

Tibicen and Cicada Killer Wasps:

Tibicen and cicada killer wasps

Tacua speciosa detail:

Tacua speciosa

A giant light-up cicada outside the museum:

Light up cicada Staten Island

Just part of the Staten Island Museum’s cicada collection

stacks of cicadas

Thanks to Ed Johnson, Director of Science, for showing me many of amazing specimens in the museum’s collection.

Bonus: You can download a copy of William T. Davis’ document North American Cicadas. It’s free!

February 2, 2013

Awesome Cicada Pillow

Filed under: Pop Culture — Dan @ 8:02 am

Check out this groovy cicada pillow by friends J.C. Luz and Cliff G. gave me. No cicada fan’s home is complete without one. I’ll post a link to where you can buy one, as soon as I figure that out.

Order your own cicada pillow.

If you like Comic Books, check out Cliff’s comic book convention happening in Asbury Park, NJ this spring.

January 30, 2013

KEEP CALM they’re only 17-YEAR CICADAS

Filed under: Brood II | Magicicada | Memes | Periodical | Pop Culture — Dan @ 5:55 pm

Get it on a shirt! Guys & Gals

Keep Calm, they're only 17-Year Cicadas

Here’s my entry into the popular KEEP CALM meme. “KEEP CALM they’re only 17-YEAR CICADAS”.

January 23, 2013

Brood II Cicada Event at Staten Island Museum

Filed under: Brood II — Dan @ 6:02 am

The emergence of Brood II is 3 to 4 months away (when they emerge depends on how warm the Spring is), but the Staten Island Museum, in Staten Island NY has already planned an event and exhibit to celebrate the emergence. According to cicada researcher Allen Sanborn, the museum largest cicada collection in North America (they have over 35,000 specimens), so it’s a good place to celebrate cicadas.

They’re Baaack! Return of the 17-year Cicadas

February 16, 2013 – Spring 2014

See numerous cicada specimens from the Museum’s extensive collection, sculpture inspired by the Cicada, new work by syndicated cartoonist Tayor Jones, a timeline of past emergences linked to historic events, a time-lapse video of emerging cicadas, a hands on video microscope, a Google map showing where cicadas are emerging, big-bug sci-fi fun, unusual Cicada ephemera and facts from around the globe, activities for kids and more.

On February 15th they’re having OPENING RECEPTION PREVIEW PARTY from 6:00pm – 9:00pm, including dinner, drinks and disco.

On February 16th they’re having a Cicada Family Day from 10:00am – 4:00pm.

And then cicada exhibits throughout the Spring.

See their Upcoming Exhibitions and Current Exhibitions page for more information (which page depends on when you read this.)

Staten Island Museum

The Staten Island Museum is located at Staten Island Museum, 75 Stuyvesant Place, SI, NY 10301, or on the web at www.statenislandmuseum.org.

January 20, 2013

The Cicadas of Thailand, Vol.2. Coming Soon?

Filed under: Books | Michel Boulard | Thailand — Dan @ 3:42 pm

It looks like there’s a new The Cicadas of Thailand book out (or coming out soon).

ISBN 978-974-480-165-4
WL Order Code 22 645
Bangkok 2011
Boulard, Michel; The Cicadas of Thailand, Vol.2. Taxonomy and Sonic Ethology
White Lotus Press

Looks like it will be for sale here.

Cicadas of Thailand 2

Cicadidae of Turkey

Filed under: Turkey — Dan @ 1:38 pm

I found an interesting document on Archive.org called Centre for Entomological Studies Ankara, Cesa News Nr. 55 (January 30, 2010) by authors Muhabbet Kemal and Ahmet Omer Kocak.

This document describes several cicadas native to the Republic of Turkey, including Tibicina serhadensis, a cicada adapted to colder, mountainous, subapline-apline regions. T. serhadensis is a hairy cicada with white wings, and orange appendages — it is quite a remarkable insect.

The document contains many full color photos.

Orange-speckled green cicada (Lembeja sp nov)

Filed under: Identify | Indonesia | News — Dan @ 11:45 am

A pretty green speckled cicada from North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

If you can identify the species, let us know.

January 19, 2013

The “Butterfly Cicadas”

Filed under: Ambragaeana | Becquartina | Gaeana — Dan @ 6:39 pm

The cicadas belonging to the tribe Gaeanini (Ambragaeana sp., Gaeana sp., and Becquartina sp.)1 are among the world’s most beautiful cicadas. These cicadas have broad, multicolored wings. Their wings beat slowly rather than vibrate quickly, allowing them to flutter like butterflies. Michel Boulard calls them “Butterfly Cicadas” 2. Watch the video of a Gaeana festiva in flight:

Behold the beautiful “Butterfly Cicadas”:

Ambragaeana ambra

ambragaeana ambra photo by Michel Chantraine
photo by Michel Chantraine.

Distinguishing features: Brown forewings with white/cream colored spots. Black hind wings with white/cream colored spots/markings.

Habitat: Southeast Asia

Gaeana cheni

Gaeana cheni
photo by Michel Chantraine.

Distinguishing features: Black/Brown forewings with chartreuse/yellow spots. Black and mint-green hind wings.

Habitat: Southeast Asia

Callogaeana festiva

Callogaeana festiva festiva (orange)
Orange form of Gaeana festiva

Callogaeana festiva
White form of Callogaeana festiva

Callogaeana festiva festiva
Orange & White form of Gaeana festiva

A photo of a living C. festiva.

Distinguishing features: Gaeana festiva come in an amazing variety of color variations. Colors include orange, yellow, white and pale green; fore and hind wings are often different colors as well. G. festiva, as Michel Boulard speculates, might be a periodical cicada, as it emerges in very large numbers 2. They might he proto-periodical as well.

Habitat: India, Southeast Asia3

Gaeana hageni

A photo of a Gaeana hageni specimen.

Distinguishing features: Chartreuse-green forewings. White hind wings. No spots (unlike most Gaeana).

Habitat: Malayan Archipelago3

Gaeana maculata

Video of a Gaeana maculata:

Gaeana cheni

A photo of a living G. cheni.

Distinguishing features: Black wings and body with yellow spots. (Maculata means spotted.)

Habitat: India, China3

Gaeana sulphurea

Mating Gaeana sulphurea from Bhutan taken by Jeff Blincow
Mating Gaeana sulphurea from Bhutan taken by Jeff Blincow

A photo of a Gaeana sulphurea specimen.

Distinguishing features: Black and yellow wings & body.

Habitat: India3, Bhutan

Becquartina electa

Becquartina electa by Michel Chantraine
Photo by Michel Chantraine.

Distinguishing features: Dark brown forewings with striking yellow lines forming a triangle-like shape. Dark brown and yellow hind wings.

Habitat: Southeast Asia

Becquartina versicolor

Becquartina versicolor Boulard, 2005
Photo by Michel Chantraine.

Distinguishing features: Dark brown forewings with red veins and striking yellow lines, sort of in the shape of the number 7. Black hind wings with white markings.

Habitat: Southeast Asia

Note: there are

References:

  1. Sanborn, Allen F., Phillips, Polly K. and Sites, Robert W. The Cicadas of Thailand (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). p 1.
  2. Boulard, Michel. 2007. The Cicadas of Thailand, General and Particular Characteristics, Volume 1. p 66,72, Plate 30.
  3. Distant, W.L. 1892. A Monograph of Oriental Cicadidae. The Order of the Trustees of the Indian Museum of Calcutta. p 104-108.

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