Okanagana synodica synodica (Say, 1825) aka Walking Cicada

Okanagana synodica synodica (Say, 1825).

News (6/10/2021): This cicada was recently found in Oklahoma. Read more on the Oklahoma Cicadas Facebook Page.

Song type: Call

Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: O. synodica synodica

Name, Location and Description

• Cicada Name: Okanagana synodica synodica (Say, 1825)
• Short Name: O. synodica synodica
• Common Name: Walking Cicada
• When: May-July
• Where it is found: AB, AZ, CA, CO, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WY
• Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
• Description: Light orange and black.
• Eye Color: red/purple
• Pronotal Collar Color: light orange
• Identification: Bug Guide
• Identification: iNaturalist
• Image: Insect Images
• Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
• Song: Insect Singers

From Davis’ key to Okanagana¹:

A. Male uncus not hooked at the extremity, sometimes sinuate.

BB. The expanse of fore wings 50 mm. or less; orange variegated with black at base of both pairs of wings. (Some examples of fratercula exceed 50 mm.)

GG. Pronotum in mature individuals black with the central portions variegated with orange or yellow. Basal cell of fore wings yellowish or translucent.

Head small, front prominent; discal yellow marks extending from the mesonotal X to the front margin of the mesonotum. The veins surrounding the first seven marginal cells of the fore wing infuscated.
Expands about 42 mm.

Similar to: Okanagana balli Davis, 1919.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Tibicinini
Subtribe: Tibicinina
Genus: Okanagana
Species: Okanagana synodica
Subspecies: Okanagana synodica synodica (Say, 1825)
Subspecies: Okanagana synodica nigra Davis, 1944

List of sources

1. Davis, William T. Cicadas of the genera Okanagana, Tibicinoides and Okanagodes, with descriptions of several new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. v27. 179-223. 1919. Link.
2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
5. 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.