The Cicada Season Has Started!

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 a little small so I am thinking that it may be Tibicen canicularis as they are small insects. This one is also a male. Unfortunately, just like last year, I do not hear any calling in the trees yet but I'm starting to suspect that the males need sufficient time in order for their timbals (the part of their bodies that they use to sing for a female) to develop. This moves cicada emergences in Massachusetts to June 30 as opposed to July 4th which was when I found the first cicada specimens last year even though they really didn't start calling till July 14th. Let's see how long it takes for them to call this year.

This 4th of July weekend, I got permission to visit the grounds of the Concord Field Station which is actually located in Bedford, Ma. This is a research station that is funded by Harvard University and is run by Dr. Biewener (pronounced BeeWinner). This area is very close to where I discovered the first Okanagana exuvium last year. Since this place has been around for a while I am hoping the grounds have not been too developed and I'm hopeful I will be lucky here as I got permission to survey the grounds for the whole summer.

Well, that's all I got for you today. However, this is the official start now of the Cicada season for me so keep checking back for updates as to what's going on.