Massachusetts Cicadas General News
About Cicada General Info News Category
This sections contains general news articles that don't quite fit into the other news categories. Cicadas General Info contain articles such as reports from contributors, information on first emergences during a cicada season as well as information on areas where the author has revisited. There are lots of images and videos contained within these articles. Feel free to ask questions and post comments in the comments section at the end of each article.
First Cicada Nymph of the Season!
Well, like clockwork, just like last year, I found my first nymph of the season this year. Unfortunately, this year, there was a little mishap. This nymph was about nine feet up on a pine tree out of my reach. But I still wanted it because it hadn't molted yet. I found a nearby branch and tried to coax the nymph onto the branch but unfortunately, instead of going on the branch it ended up falling with a rather disheartening "thump" onto the hard dirt. I picked it up to examine it, and
Date Posted: 2006-07-04 Comments: (0)
More Exuvia Found Today at Fairview
Not much to report here either. After checking out the entire cemetery which took a few hours. I only managed to find one exuvia on a pine tree. I suspect it is T. canicularis due to its size. Unfortunately, I was not able to tell gender because the tip of the abdomen was stuck in heavy pine resin. When I removed the shell, it just crumbled to nothing. Oh, well, enjoy the pictures though!
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Date Posted: 2006-07-03 Comments: (0)
The Cicada Season Has Started!
That's right folks. Here in Massachusetts I have found the first cicada exuvium of the season. In anticipation of this long 4th of July weekend, I decided to kick it off by checking my favorite spot that I have been visiting for the last couple of years. That is St. Patrick Cemetery in Lowell. I got off of work around 5:30 pm and headed on over. It wasn't long till I found this exuvia on one of my favorite areas in the cemetery which seems to produce cicadas every year.
This specimen seems
Date Posted: 2006-06-30 Comments: (0)
Brood XIV Periodical Cicadas in 2008
I thought I'd provide some addtional information regarding Brood XIV Magicicadas which are expected to appear in Massachusetts in 2008. After doing some digging I was provided a paper written in 1928 by Charles W. Johnson entitled "The Periodical Cicada in New England". In it Mr. Johnson states that both Barnstable and Plymouth counties in Massachusetts should experience this emergence. However, after talking with a professor at UMASS Amherst, he indicated that their last appearance in
Date Posted: 2006-06-29 Comments: (0)
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 h
Date Posted: 2006-06-21 Comments: (0)
Tibicen linnei Calling Song
My friend Mike Neckermann sent in this short video of some T. linnei calling in Connecticut. It's really amazing how these guys sound like those Spanish Maracas. See if you agree. Click the thumbnail below to launch the 42 second movie. Tibicen linnei can only be found in certain areas in Connecticut as they are not as wide-spread as say Tibicen lyricen or Tibicen canicularis which are the two most common varieties we have here in New England. This video was taken around the Portsmouth Connectic
Date Posted: 2005-08-24 Comments: (0)
Tibicen canicularis in Newton, Ma.
Got a few emails from a person from Newton stating that he is experiencing heavy emergences of Cicadas in his neighborhood
in Newton. So naturally I headed to Newton, Mass. to investigate.
One of the places I stopped was Charles River Reservation. First off let me say that the Reservation area smelled really bad. I don't know if it was due to the rains yesterday or what but the soil was soft and smelled like decaying vegitation which gives off a sulferous methane smell. It was not pleas
Date Posted: 2005-08-21 Comments: (0)