2006 Cicada Season Started?

2006 Cicada Season Started?

Well for some species anyway. I have been doing a lot of reading of papers that have been published. Unfortunately, there is really nothing new regarding Cicadas of New England for the past 50 years or so. I've read papers published as far back as 1923. The most recent paper I read so far was in 1928 so what does that tell you about the existing information out there on Cicadas of New England? The information needs to be updated. Thanks to Tim McNary and his Cicadidae Bibliography list that he has posted on Tim McNary.com. This has been a treasure trove of information for me and he has graciously agreed to supply me with literarture I require that pertains to Cicadas of New England for my own research projects. It is much appreciated because I have been trying to find information from all the right sources but the responses I have been getting is that not much exists so thanks again to Tim McNary.

Time to Update Old Information.

That's right, myself and Mike Neckermann have been collaborating on an updated paper which has gone through its first revision with the help of Professor John Cooley of University of Connecticut at Storrs. It will have to go through a couple of more edits before it is ready for submittal to the Entomological Society of America. Once we get this one under our belt there will be others that we will publish and I will make them available for your parusal here.

Magicicada Straggling in the Mid-West!

That's right! Apparently Periodical Cicadas have been emerging early in areas of Illinois and Indiana according to John Cooley who was there on a mid-western trip a few weeks back. You can read the full story on Cicadamania for the details. Some were expected Brood XIII early arrivals as well as Brood XXIII , Brood XIX and maybe a straggler from Brood X from back in 2004.

I too have been getting reports of Magicicada straggling and I will be forwarding those records to him. If you have reports of straggling Magicicada in your areas please feel free to drop me a line.

The Hunt For Okanagana

Unfortunately, last weekend, I spent both Saturday and Sunday trapesing around Bedford, Concord and Lincoln in the hopes of finding evidence of Okanagana without much success. I though that I heard the call of Okanagana canadensis by a pretty secluded pond in Bedford, Ma where I found the first evidence of Okanagana in 2004 but it was very difficult to pinpoint where the calling sound was coming from as it seemed to be coming from all directions. When I thought I narrowed down the area the calling stopped. This has to be the most frustrating species to find here. One of the reasons is that the calling song of a male Okanagana canadensis sounds much like the call of a cricket or locust (a kind of grasshopper with wings) so it can be really frustrating when you think you hear one and it ends up being something else!

It's really bad when you find only one example from over two years ago and find nothing since. At least I still have the discarded exuvium skin that I found in 2004 at the Bedford Swim Area. If you can help me track down this insect, the details can be found on my Okanagana species page for all the details. If you find these please contact me it would surely be appreciated.

So Far No Cicada Killers (Sphecius speciosus)

As you may remember last year I studied a population of Cicada Killer wasps at a site in a cemetery in Westford. I wanted to see if the new brood of cicada killer wasps had emerged from the ground but unfortunately, not yet. Maybe it is too early? I don't think so but this is a new species of insect for me. A fellow colleague and photo enthusiast emailed the other day stating that there was a population out in Canton, MA. I think I will go investigate that this weekend. I figure while I'm there, I might as well hunt for Okanagana. Maybe I'll get lucky.

Well, that's all I got for now, the full-blown cicada season is getting close so if you find cicadas i your area be sure to drop me a note and also Cicada Killers.