Cactus-dodger
Guides
Cacama carbonaria
Downy Cactus-Dodger
Cacama carbonaria is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae, first described by Davis in 1919. It is one of several 'cactus dodger' cicadas in the genus Cacama, known for their association with cactus hosts. The species occurs in Central America, with records from Mexico including Michoacán, Morelos, and Oaxaca. Like other Cacama species, it likely shares the genus-typical traits of fast flight, alert behavior, and association with Opuntia and Cylindropuntia cacti.
Cacama collinaplaga
Hill Country Cactus-Dodger
Cacama collinaplaga is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, described by Sanborn and Heath in 2011. It belongs to the genus Cacama, commonly known as cactus dodgers, which are associated with cactus hosts in arid regions of western North America. The species is found in the Hill Country region of Texas, where it inhabits areas with cactus vegetation.
Cacama crepitans
Coastal Cactus Dodger
A medium to large cicada species commonly known as the Coastal Cactus Dodger. Males produce a loud, distinctive song described as a high-pitched metallic buzz or shrill, often delivered in short bursts. The species is closely associated with cactus hosts, particularly cholla and prickly pear, in arid and semi-arid regions. Adults are fast-flying and alert, making them challenging to approach. Females oviposit into dry, dead cactus stems rather than living tissue.
Cacama dissimilis
Plateau Cactus-Dodger
Cacama dissimilis is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, commonly known as the Plateau Cactus-Dodger. It occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of western North America and Central America. Like other members of the genus Cacama, it is associated with cactus habitats. The species was originally described as Cicada dissimilis by Distant in 1881.
Cacama furcata
Baja California Cactus-Dodger
Cacama furcata is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae, first described by Davis in 1919. It is one of several 'cactus-dodger' cicadas in the genus Cacama, which are associated with arid environments and cactus hosts. The species is known from the Baja California peninsula and adjacent regions of Mexico. Like related Cacama species, it likely exhibits adaptations for life in xeric habitats including fast flight and specialized host plant associations.
Cacama longirostris
Decorated Cactus-Dodger
Cacama longirostris is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae, described by Distant in 1881. It is known from Central America, particularly Mexico. The species belongs to the genus Cacama, commonly referred to as "cactus dodgers" due to their association with cactus hosts. Like other members of this genus, it likely exhibits adaptations for navigating spiny vegetation.
Cacama moorei
Moore's cactus dodger
Cacama moorei, commonly known as Moore's cactus dodger, is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae. It is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, including Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, and the Mexican state of Sonora. As a member of the genus Cacama, it is associated with cactus habitats and shares the common name 'cactus dodger' with related species such as Cacama valvata.
Cacama pygmaea
Golden-winged Cactus-Dodger
Cacama pygmaea is a cicada species described by Sanborn in 2011 during a taxonomic revision of the genus Cacama. It is one of three new species described in that work, which brought the total known species in the genus to 12. The species is found in Central America, with confirmed records from Jalisco, Mexico. Like other members of the genus Cacama, it is commonly referred to as a 'cactus-dodger' cicada.
Cacama valvata
common cactus dodger
Cacama valvata, commonly known as the common cactus dodger, is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae. It is distributed across the southern Great Plains and western North America, from Texas and New Mexico west to California. The species is notable for its tight ecological association with cacti, particularly cholla (Cylindropuntia spp.) and prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), which serve as both host plants for nymphal root-feeding and perching sites for adults. Males produce a loud, distinctive song described as a high-pitched metallic zing or shrill buzz, often likened to a table saw cutting through wood. Adults are fast-flying, alert, and capable of landing on spiny cactus hosts without becoming impaled. The species has been observed engaging in courtship singing, with males approaching females while producing long, wavering shrills that transition to shorter sequences upon close approach, followed by leg touching, mounting, and copulation. Females oviposit almost exclusively in dry, dead, skeletonized cactus stems, where eggs may remain for several months awaiting fall rains to trigger hatching.
Cacama variegata
Variegated Cactus Dodger
Cacama variegata is a large cicada species in the family Cicadidae, commonly known as the variegated cactus dodger. The species is distributed across the southwestern United States and Mexico, with records from Texas and Mexican states including Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. Like other members of the genus Cacama, this species is associated with cactus habitats.