Silver Lake, NH Yields Okanagana rimosa

Silver Lake, NH Yields Okanagana rimosa

It looks like Brood XIX periodical cicadas are finally winding down. I would have to say that all-in-all the reporting was a huge success considering that Massachusetts Cicadas version 2.0 only been live since April with an all-new URL no less. We received many sightings and many reports of Brood XIX periodical cicadas. Thanks to all who contributed distribution data or photos for the sightings section.

However, just because Brood XIX periodical cicadas will soon be gone doesn't mean that that's the end of the cicada season; far from it. Now its time to turn our attention to the other cool cicadas that make an appearance every year. Not only here in New England but also all over the United States.

These cicadas - known as annual cicadas - are just as cool as the periodical cicadas and contain species from the genera, Diceroprocta, Cicadetta, Tibicen, Okanagana, Neocicada and Platypedia.

And, speaking of Okanagana, I went on a specimen-gathering trip Sunday to Silver Lake New Hampshire in order to take advantage of the rare good weather. Okanagana rimosa is an early-emerging species like the Periodical Cicadas and I was worried I wasn't going to get time this year to gather data on this species due to Brood XIX. But alas I managed to squeeze in some time.

I managed to capture 8 specimens. Seven males and one female. These cicadas are small and their calling song is very high in frequency pitch which makes them very difficult to localize. But once you get used to their call and how to zero in, it is easy to spot them. That is if they aren't very high in the trees.

Okanagana rimosa In situ.

These little cicadas were abundant as I think I arrived at their peak time. Silver Lake is pretty much located in the center of the state of New Hampshire and eastward towards the Maine border. You would think that this area would be mountainous and while there are mountains and foothills, the actual White Mountains don't start until you go a little further north. In fact, this area is only 477 feet above sea level. I liken it to a small valley or plateau surrounded by foothills.

Anyway, the cicadas were surprisingly easy to catch. I actually panicked when I left the house Sunday morning without my extension net but I really didn't need it. The cicadas were calling in low pitch pine and Aspen trees and some were even calling on the ground. Below is a series of photos taken with the cicadas either in situ in a tree or on the ground in the blueberry brush. Sorry some are so blurry, even with a telephoto lense some of the cicadas were still pretty high up.

Let's play "Find the Cicada".

Below is a photo along with a closeup showing two cicadas in an Aspen tree. See if you can spot the cicadas. There are two of them. These photos were taken with a telephoto lense. See if you can spot them. If not look at the second photo.

Believe it or not I did manage to capture both of these cicadas in this Aspen tree by slowly bending the tree over and grabbing them by hand one at a time. I was surprised to find out that one of the cicadas was a female and was amazed that it wasn't interested in the male that was calling pretty much right next to it.

Later on it became apparent why. On the way home in the container, the female started to oviposit in a tree clipping inside the container. It no-doubt was a mated female. See the photo below.

In conclusion

Well, that's pretty much it for this article. I will be posting some closeup photos of the specimens taken during this trip. Look for another update soon and we'll get into more of their calling songs and habitat preferences.

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