Many Cicadas Found Today

Many Cicadas Found Today

This is really surprising. It's really a cloudy, cool and overcast day. It's 60 degrees outside. Despite that I found several different specimens in all parts of the cemetery here. All seem to be on Ash trees as well which I think is T. lyricen's preferred host plant. At least here in Massachusetts. It also looks like I can take back what I said about the Ash trees last year. That they may not be producing Cicadas this year. All the Ash trees that produced Cicadas last year are indeed producing Tibicen lyricen Cicadas this year. See some of the images below.

What's really surprising is that one of these Ash trees is totally dead. I noticed it was dying last year but this year there is no new leaf growth at all. This is the same Ash tree that produced several deformed T. lyricens and T. canicularis specimens also. This year however, I did find 4 exuvia on this tree with two eclosing T. lyricen Cicadas on it, one male and one female. The female teneral looks like an usually dark shade of blue as opposed to pinkish in the teneral stage. See some of the images below.

While watching one of these T. lyricens during the eclosing process, I spied a newly emerged nymph crawling up the side of one of the Ash trees. Problem is, I was watching this particular T. lyricen molting and came back to check on it an hour later, and there was the nymph. It must've emerged from the ground without me noticing it. That's one thing I'd love to film and observe is an actual nymph emerging from the ground. Sorry I missed it.

Today I saw 7 total specimens in the cemetery. I took four of them home with me for study including the nymph. Below is a set of thumbnails that link to bigger pictures of this Tibicen lyricen nymph going through the eclose process on a Dogwood tree in my yard. This specimen turned out to be female and with a whole tree to itself to eclose, no where on the main stem of the tree was good enough. It ended up fully eclosing on the back of a leaf about 4 feet from the ground. It was tough getting shots of the process. Hope you enjoy them.

Top Images from left to right: Tibicen lyricen nymph ready to eclose. Note the seam forming down the length of its back. This is where it will split and the new teneral will emerge. | The Tibicen lyricen nymph climbs a tree to find the perfect spot in which to molt. | The Tibicen lyricen nymph settles down on the back of a leaf to molt approximately 4 feet above the ground.

Top Images from left to right: Tibicen lyricen splits its nymphal skin and starts to emerge. | Tibicen lyricen nymph continues to wriggle free. | Tibicen lyricen nymph hangs up-side-down. It will stay this way for at least 45 minutes. From this angle, it is a female.

Top Images from left to right: Newly emerged Tibicen lyricen rights itself and the wings start to expand. | Nearly complete. | The completed wings now all they have to do is fold in against the body. | Front (dorsal) view of completed wings.

Top Images from left to right: The molt process is complete. Wings fully expanded and folded against the body. | The same adult female several days later.

Another Ventral View of Tibicen lyricen male specimen.

And yet, here's another ventral view of the Tibicen lyricen that I got on the 5th of July at 11:00 pm at night at St. Patrick cemetery. Compare this to the day before. As you can see, the Pruinosity is still developing quite nicely. It's a little thicker because its whiter. Note the sternites and operculum.

It's a really cool day today. However, I'm going stir-crazy so I think I'll head on over to St. Patrick Cemetery to see whats up. I really need to start to travel to other areas to see if I can find other sources of Cicadas.