Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.
My family and I captured and molted over 50 Neotibicen cicadas in 2023. We molt them in butterfly pavilions and then release them the next day. Most are Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (Morning cicadas).
Here’s the collection of exuvia (skins) as of August 4th.
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
This is the August 1st edition of the Summer of Neotibicen tibicen tibicen.
This cicada has molted and its wings have filled with fluid and are in place, ready to harden. It is a male.
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
Enjoy the Summer of Neotibicen tibicen tibicen gallery for July 30th, part 2.
Recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Molting male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Molting male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
Neotibicen emergence hole. It was a very rainy, mudding year in New Jersey!
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
Enjoy the Summer of Neotibicen tibicen tibicen gallery for July 30th, part 1.
A recently molted Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
A recently molted male Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada:
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
Neotibicen tibicen tibicen. Peewee the Chihuahua for scale.
Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada spreading its wings:
A Neotibicen tibicen tibicen getting ready to lean forward, grab its old skin and pull out the rest of its body.
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti aka Dark Lyric Cicada is a cicada that is distinguisable from the “Lighter” Lyric Cicada (Neotibicen lyricen lyricen) by what I call the “alien head” on its pronotum.
Once you see it, you cannot unsee it:
Quoting from BugGuide:
The dark form, engelhardti, has a more eastern, northern and upland distribution (very common in and along the eastern mountains & associated plateaus/fall-line hills). Perhaps the increased pigment seen in this color form serves a thermoregulatory function associated with cooler temps and greater day-night temp differentials seen in higher altitudes and latitudes.
Adult Neotibicen tibicen tibicen. Chihuahua paw for scale.
Adult Neotibicen tibicen tibicen. On a human hand.
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
It can be difficult to tell which species of Neotibicen cicada is lurking inside the skin of a nymph. It you look close the hint of blue above the wing bud and green of the legs gives it away… this one turned out to be a Neotibicen tibicen tibicen
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
A Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicada that crawled into spruce tree sap and molted:
I “rescued” the cicada and let it finish hardening in a butterfly pavilion so it didn’t get stuck in the sap.
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.
This is the July 24th edition of the Summer of Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (aka Morning or Swamp Cicada) photo series.
Take a look at July 16th edition.
Molting Neotibicen tibicen tibicen. Note the blue on the wings and green eyes.
Molted Neotibicen tibicen tibicen. Note the green eyes and blue on the pronotum!
SoNtt Calendar: July 16th, July 22nd, July 23rd part 1, July 23rd part 2, July 24th, July 26th, July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th part 1, July 30th part 2, August 1st, August 4th, August 9th, August 11th, August 13th.