Matt Berger was backpacking around Yellowstone national park recently when his chanced upon this Okanagana bella. 07/25/2008.
February 29, 2020
Okanagana rimosa photo by Natasha from 2005
Okanagana rimosa photo by Natasha from 2005.
Comments Off on Okanagana rimosa photo by Natasha from 2005
June 29, 2017
Okanagana Cicadas
Photo credit: left, O. rimosa by Natasha; right, O. bella by Matt Berger.
Okanagana is a genus of cicadas that share their name with the Okanagan Lake, Valley & County areas of British Columbia, Canada. As you might guess, Okanagana are common in Canada. It is likely that the genus was named in tribute to the Okanagan people.
West of the Mississippi, O. synodica synodica & O. bella are the most common species in terms of the number of states and providences they are found. O. canadensis & O. rimosa are the most common species east of the Mississippi.
Lifespans and Lifecycles:
Okanagana rimosa have a lifespan of 9 years. Okanagana synodica have a lifespan of possibly 17 to 19 years! (see Campbell et al. 10.1073/pnas.1421386112).
Okanagana rimosa also appear to be proto-periodical (source) meaning they are abundant in some years, and scarce, but not absent in others.
“Soper et al (112) showed experimentally that Okanagana rimosa had a life
cycle of 9 years, and that in the field during a 9-year period (1962 to
1970) it was extremely abundant in 4 years and scarce or absent in the
other 5. Heath (32) also studied cicadas of the genus Okanagana and
found several species that appear to be protoperiodical.”
I’m not sure, but I suppose other species of Okanagana have proto-periodical lifecycles as well. This would explain why people see Okanagana in great numbers one year, and very few in previous years.
Okanagana adult photographed by Les Daniels
Identification:
Okanagana are typically around between June and July, depending on the species and latitude.
Okanagana are often black, with white, beige or orange highlights on their wings and body. The black color of their exoskeletons helps them absorb warmth from the sun.
Look for four symmetrical markings on their mesonotum (back). The image at the beginning the the article highlights these markings.
One Okanagana that has atypical coloration is the O. viridis which is green. This outlier is one of the few species found in southern states.
April 28, 2016
Okanagana noveboracensis (Emmons, 1854)
Okanagana noveboracensis (Emmons, 1854)
- Cicada Name: Okanagana noveboracensis (Emmons, 1854)
- Short Name: O. noveboracensis
- Where it is found: NY, ON
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: n/a
- Eye Color: n/a
- Pronotal Collar Color: n/a
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Comments Off on Okanagana noveboracensis (Emmons, 1854)
April 24, 2016
Okanagana sugdeni Davis, 1938
Okanagana sugdeni Davis, 1938.
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Okanagana sugdeni Davis, 1938
- Short Name: O. sugdeni
- Where it is found: UT
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: Black and orange. White pruinose.
- Eye Color: ?
- Pronotal Collar Color: orange
- Type Specimen Details: The American Museum of Natural Species
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genera: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana sugdeni Davis, 1938
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Comments Off on Okanagana sugdeni Davis, 1938
Okanagana yakimaensis Davis, 1939
Okanagana yakimaensis Davis, 1939.
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Okanagana yakimaensis Davis, 1939
- Short Name: O. yakimaensis
- Where it is found: WA
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: n/a
- Eye Color: n/a
- Pronotal Collar Color: n/a
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genera: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana yakimaensis Davis, 1939
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Comments Off on Okanagana yakimaensis Davis, 1939
Okanagana wymorei Davis, 1935
Okanagana wymorei Davis, 1935
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Okanagana wymorei Davis, 1935
- Short Name: O. wymorei
- Where it is found: CA
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: Black with orange highlights
- Eye Color: black
- Pronotal Collar Color: orange
- Type Specimen Details: The American Museum of Natural Species
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Identification: BugGuide
- Identification: iNaturalist
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genera: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana wymorei Davis, 1935
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Comments Off on Okanagana wymorei Davis, 1935
Okanagana vocalis Bliven, 1964
Okanagana vocalis Bliven, 1964
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Okanagana vocalis Bliven, 1964
- Short Name: O. vocalis
- Where it is found: CA
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: n/a
- Eye Color: n/a
- Pronotal Collar Color: n/a
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genera: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana vocalis Bliven, 1964
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Comments Off on Okanagana vocalis Bliven, 1964
Okanagana villosa Davis, 1941
Okanagana villosa Davis, 1941.
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Okanagana villosa Davis, 1941.
- Short Name: O. villosa
- Where it is found: CA
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: Black with beige highlights. Hairy.
- Eye Color: Gray
- Pronotal Collar Color: Black with beige on edge.
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Identification: BugGuide
- Identification: iNaturalist
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genera: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana villosa Davis, 1941.
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Comments Off on Okanagana villosa Davis, 1941
Okanagana venusta Davis, 1935
Okanagana venusta Davis, 1935.
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Okanagana venusta Davis, 1935
- Short Name: O. venusta
- Where it is found: CA
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: Black with orange highlights
- Eye Color: black
- Pronotal Collar Color: orange
- Identification: Bug Guide
- Type Specimen Details: The American Museum of Natural Species
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Identification: BugGuide
- Identification: iNaturalist
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genera: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana venusta Davis, 1935
List of sources
- Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
- Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
- Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
- Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Notes:
- Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.
Comments Off on Okanagana venusta Davis, 1935