Diceroprocta vitripennis (Say, 1830) aka Green Winged Cicada.
Photo by by Paul Krombholz.
See all Diceroprocta vitripennis images and information in cicadamania.com.
Song
Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: D. vitripennis
Video Playlist
Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.
Name, Location and Description
- Cicada Name: Diceroprocta vitripennis (Say, 1830)
- Short Name: D. vitripennis
- Common Name: Green Winged Cicada
- Former names & synonyms: Tibicen vitripenni (Say), Cicada erratica Osborn.
- When: June-August. Peaks in July.
- Where it is found: AL, AR, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MS, MO, NE, OK, TN, TX, WI
- Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
- Description: Black with green and brown and white pruinose.
- Eye Color: varies
- Pronotal Collar Color: green
- Identification Bug Guide
- Identification iNaturalist
- Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Song: Insect Singers
Locations from Wm. T. Davis’ MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES1
Prof. R. W. Harned has contributed the following note : “In regard to the distribution of Tibicen vitripennis I am inclined to think that this insect will only be found on low ground or in swampy places. This insect seems to be fairly prevalent in what is known as the delta section of Mississippi or the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. This is the alluvial western part of the state. This species is also fairly abun- dant in* similar soils in Arkansas and Louisiana. The first time that I ever noticed this species was late in June, 1912. I found them quite numerous in fields at Palmyra Island, south of Vicksburg. I was surprised to find them coming out of the ground several hundred yards away from any perennial plants. They were also emerging from soil that had been under water a few weeks before. The spe- cies is quite common in the cotton fields of the delta.”
The distribution seems to be confined to the central United States. Specimens have been examined from Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkan- sas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana.
Key to Species:
AA. Small species; uncus wish-bone shaped, and first cross view in the fore wings starting from about the middle of the first marginal cell.
GG. First and second cross veins of fore wings not clouded, wings clear throughout and expanding about 70 mm.
Head proportionately smaller than in the last; front more pro- truding;- collar not so contrastingly colored and fore wings narrower vitripennis (Say).
A visual description from Wm. T Davis’ NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL NEW SPECIES 2
What we have identified as this species is an insect with green in its coloring as mentioned by its describer; not entirely orange and black as in Cicada eugraphica from further west.
Classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta vitripennis (Say, 1830)
List of sources
- Davis, W.T. 1919. MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXVI, Nos. 3-4. Read on archive.org
- David, W.T. 1916. NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL
NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol. X?ilV, No. I. Read on archive.org - 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.
I have found two of these on our property in north-central Allegan County, MI. One yesterday; still alive, but later on its back. It vibrated its wings when I touched it, but later had disappeared. Found another one this morning on its back in a different area of our property. No apparent damage, just dead and laying on its back. Beautiful insect – I will see if a nature center might want to have it.
Tue, 8/16/22 – Found a dead one in the Bartlett TN area (just N of Memphis). Overall length is 2.5” , each wing is 2” long, and is the largest I’ve seen here so far. I see at least 2 species here regularly every year, and the green ones more frequently in the last 2-3 yrs.
Found one on my tree in the back yard but it doesn’t look like any of the pictures or of any other variety. This one is very light colored and the wings are like a mint green color. Is it still the green winged cicada?
Possibly. Many cicadas are green when they first molt, and then their skin color darkens over time.
Maybe. Send a photo to cicadamania@gmail.com
i have a tattoo of this species, i was lucky enough to witness one molting in august of 2019 and it was the most stunning vibrant green id ever seen. i took a picture and got it put on my forearm so i can look at it everyday and be reminded of the beauty of nature .
We get these in central Indiana in our back yard and at the park I work at.
Found a cicada outside today in Texas and was able to identify what kind it is because of this website!
I watched a green winged cicada hatch the other day, in Michigan thumb area.
Probably one of the Mega or Neo tibicen on this list.
I just watched one come out of the ground and molt. I’m in Toronto Canada.
Here’s a list of the cicadas of Ontario https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/common-cicadas-of-ontario-canada/
Found green winged cicada I Centennial CO. this morning. I think it had just crawled out of ground.