First Tibicen of Massachusetts Reported!

First Tibicen of Massachusetts Reported!

Thanks to Kateri from Groton, MA for sending in this cool first photo of the 2009 season. This is a Tibicen lyricen just completing the eclose process on her car tire. I don't know what it is with this species but this is NOT the first time I've seen T. lyricen molting on car tires. I guess with the rubber, they can get a pretty good tight and secure grip!

As suspected, Tibicen lyricen is the first species from the Tibicen genus to emerge on the mainland of Massachusetts. Also as is expected, I can see by the photo that this is a male specimen. You can clearly see the clasper at the end of the abdomen. Click the image to have a closer look. It seems at the beginning of the season male cicadas emerge first in greater numbers than females. Probably due to the fact that it takes time for their calling organs known as "tymbals" to fully harden or perhaps it is something as simple as competition with other males. The earlier you emerge the better your chances are of mating. Who knows? Definitely, something worth studying.