Annual Cicadas (refer to Neotibicen & Hadoa)

Tibicen

Classification

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tibicen: /ˈtɪbɪˌkɛn/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Summary

Tibicen, a former genus of the family Cicadidae, refers primarily to a group of cicadas known for their distinctive summer songs, large size, and vibrant colors. They are characterized by their lengthy life cycles and widespread presence across North America, though taxonomic revisions have reclassified many of these cicadas into new genera.

Physical Characteristics

Most species are relatively large in size, ranging from approximately 1.5 to 3 inches (40-70 mm). They exhibit a variety of colors, including blacks, browns, rusts, tans, yellows, and greens, often adorned with patterns and a pruinosity that appears as a white wax. Discoloration after death is common, with vibrant colors fading to tan or dark brown and obscuring identification features.

Identification Tips

Identification can be challenging due to inter-species similarities. Key characteristics include wing dimensions, male genitalia structure, and seasonal calls. Careful attention to coloration and patterning is necessary, but can be misleading if specimens are not freshly collected. Utilizing local identification keys is recommended to account for regional variability.

Habitat

Typically found in eastern deciduous and mixed forests, as well as pine forests, grasslands, and prairies. These cicadas may also inhabit desert environments.

Distribution

Most species are distributed throughout Eastern and Central North America, with some species reaching into southern Canada and northern Mexico.

Diet

Nymphs feed underground on the sap of perennial plant roots, while adult cicadas feed on sap and water, often seen feeding multiple times daily during summer months.

Life Cycle

Life cycles generally span three years or more, although they are popularly referred to as annual cicadas due to overlapping generations. Eggs are laid in twigs, and nymphs emerge and feed underground before molting into adults.

Reproduction

Adults typically lay eggs in dead or living twigs; the eggs cause slight wilting in living twigs. Males are known to sing during the day, particularly during the mating season.

Ecosystem Role

Cicadas play important roles in their ecosystems as herbivores that feed on plant sap, affecting plant health and as food sources for various predators, including birds and other insectivores.

Cultural Significance

Cicadas are often referenced culturally in North America, especially in summer, where their calls are emblematic of warmer months. The misnomers "locusts" and "katydids" have contributed to public misunderstanding of cicada biology.

Health Concerns

While generally harmless to humans, cicadas can be misidentified with harmful grasshoppers, and some may cause minor damage to landscape plants during oviposition.

Collecting Methods

  • Net collection during active periods, typically during warmer months.
  • Trapping with baited traps to attract males during their calling periods.

Preservation Methods

  • Immediate freezing to preserve coloration and morphology before long-term storage.
  • Ethanol preservation for genetic studies.
  • Drying and pinning for specimen identification and display.

Evolution

The genus name Tibicen has a complicated taxonomic history, having been characterized by changes in classification and synonymy with other genera over time, such as Lyristes. Recent genetic studies have prompted a restructuring of cicada classifications, leading to the formation of new genera encompassing former Tibicen species.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

The common name 'locusts' is often mistakenly applied to annual cicadas, which are not related to the true locusts found in the order Orthoptera.

Tags

  • Cicadas
  • Insects
  • Hymenoptera
  • North America
  • Cicadidae