Long Island Cicadas is a blog about cicadas created and maintained by artist & photographer Annette DeGiovine.
Annette is a fantastic photographer and citizen scientist.
Here’s a sample of the articles on the blog.
May 14, 2018
May 13, 2018
What is the largest cicada?
The largest known cicada is the Megapomponia imperatoria (Westwood, 1842) of south-east Asia. The specimen in the photo below was captured in Malaysia and it’s wingspan measured 20 centimters/7.9 inches. Other species might be larger in terms of weight, but I’m not sure.
Photo of a Megapomponia imperatoria (formerly Pomponia imperatoria) by Michel Chantraine.
Other very large cicadas include the Bear Cicada of Japan (Cryptotympana facialis), and Tacua speciosa of south-east Asia.
Tacua speciosa from Malaysia by anonymous photographer.
The largest cicada in North America is the Megatibicen auletes:
Northern Dusk-Singing Cicadas aka Megatibicen auletes. Photo by me.
These very large cicadas are loud, but not the loudest. Learn about loud cicadas.
May 12, 2018
Cicadas of Africa
There are far more species in Africa than you’ll find on this page, but this is a start.
Click or tap the image for information about the cicada.
Afzeliada hyalina (Distant, 1905)
Antankaria signoreti (Metcalf, 1955)
Berberigetta
New Cicada: Berberigetta dimelodica
Brevisana
Brevisana brevis, the LOUDEST cicada
Cicadatra flavicollis Horváth, 1911
Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)
Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890)
Kongota punctigera (Walker, 1850)
Muansa clypealis (Karsch, 1890)
Munza laticlavia
Quintilla aurora
Platypleura polydorus (Walker, 1850)
Tugelana butleri Distant, 1912
Ugada nutti Distant, 1904
Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)
Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)
Blog catagories
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Cicadas of South America
There are far more species in South America than you’ll find on this page, but these are among the most well known.
Carineta Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Carineta diardi photo by Pia Öberg taken in Brazil.
More about the Carineta genus, and Carinetini tribe.
Chonosia Distant, 1905
More about the Chonosia genus, and Tettigadini tribe.
Fidicina Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Fidicina mannifera from Brazil, Photo by Leonardo Milhomem.
More about the Fidicina genus, and Fidicinini tribe.
Hemisciera Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
More about the Hemisciera genus, and Piccinini tribe.
Majeorona Distant, 1905
Majeorona aper from Brazil, Photo by Leonardo Milhomem.
More about the Majeorona genus, and Fidicinini tribe.
Quesada Distant, 1905
Quesada gigas from Brazil, Photo by Leonardo Milhomem.
More about the Quesada genus, and Hyantiini tribe.
Zammara Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Zammara smaragdina Walker, 1850.
More about the Zammara genus, and Zammarini tribe.
Tettigades Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
More about the Tettigades genus, and Tettigadini tribe.
Blog posts by country:
Links for further research:
If you’re researching Cicadas in the Neotropic ecozone, which is Central and South America, here are some resources that will help you:
1) Follow Andreas Kay’s Flickr feed. He posts many excellent cicada photos from Ecuador. Many cicadas found in Ecuador are not endemic, so the cicadas you see in Andreas’ Flickr feed should be found in adjacent countries.
2) Visit Cigarras do Brasil – Brazilian Cicadas for photos and information about the cicadas of Brazil.
3) Read Jacobi (1907) “Homoptera Andina”. (Not sure where to find it – maybe eBay).
4) Read: Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Volume I (1881-1905) by W. L. Distant and W. W. Fowler. It is available online. Here is a sample from that book:
5) Search for papers written by Allen F. Sanborn. Here is how to search for cicada research papers online.
6) Use ITIS to traverse cicada species names and get listings of papers about the cicada — then search for the cicada names and papers.
7) Many photos and sound files of Paraguayan cicadas.
Thanks again to David Emery!
Click the images for larger versions, the species name and the name of the photographer.
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Cicadas of Europe
Cicada Linnaeus, 1758
Cicada orni photo by Iván Jesus Torresano García.
- Cicada orni photos by Iván Jesús Torresano García from Spain
- Cicada orni photos by Iván Jesus Torresano García
- Cicada orni Linnaeus, 1758
Euryphara Horváth, 1912
Euryphara contentei photo by Iván Jesus Torresano García.
- Euryphara contentei photos by Iván Jesus Torresano García from Spain
- Euryphara contentei photos by Iván Jesus Torresano García
Hilaphura Webb, 1979
Hilaphura varipes photo by Iván Jesus Torresano García.
Lyristes Horváth, 1926
Tibicen/Lyristes plebejus photo by Iván Jesús Torresano García
Galleries:
- Lyristes plebejus photos by Iván Jesús Torresano García, part 1
- Lyristes plebejus photos by Iván Jesús Torresano García, part 2
- Lyristes plebejus photos by Iván Jesús Torresano García, part 3
- Lyristes plebejus photos by Iván Jesús Torresano García, part 4
- Lyristes plebejus photos by Iván Jesús Torresano García, part 5
Tettigettalna Puissant, 2010
Tettigettalna argentata photo by Iván Jesus Torresano García
Blog Posts By Country:
Websites Dedicated to the Cicadas of Europe for further research:
- Songs of European Singing Cicadas. Many images, sound files and text content.
- SONGS OF CICADAS from Slovenia and Istria (Croatia) (arnes.si) Many cicada photos, sound files and about six paragraphs of information about the cicadas of Slovenia and Croatia by Prof.dr. Matija Gogala.
- La cigale : un insecte vraiment étonnant ! Lots of text content, photos and video of the cicadas of France.
- Species Action Plan: New Forest Cicada (Cicadetta montana) (ukbap.org.uk) A photo and about ten paragraphs of information. England.
- Welcome to the New Forest Cicada Project. A site devoted to finding the New Forrest Cicada in England.
- Cicadas of Spain. There are a lot of photos and video from Spain on Cicada Mania thanks to Iván Jesús Torresano García.
Click the images for larger versions, the species name and the name of the photographer.
Cicadas of Asia
Many species shown on this page are not endemic to a single country. Typically if a cicada can be found in one country in Indo-China (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), it will be found in many others, as well as southern China.
Ambragaeana Chou & Yau, 1985
Ambragaeana ambra Chou & Yao, 1985. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Ambragaeana ambra is found in Indo-China and China.
Angamiana Distant, 1890
Angamiana floridula Distant, 1904
Angamiana floridula is found in Indo-China and China.
Ayuthia Distant, 1919
Ayuthia spectabile Distant, 1919.
Ayuthia spectabile is found in Indo-China and China.
Becquartina Kato, 1940
Becquartina electa (Jacobi, 1902) from Thailand. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Becquartina electa is found in Indo-China and China.
Becquartina versicolor Boulard, 2005 Thailand. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Becquartina versicolor is found primarily in Thailand, but I imagine it can be found in adjacent nations as well.
Callogaeana Chou & Yao, 1985
Callogaeana festiva festiva (Fabricius, 1803). Formerly Gaeana festiva.
Callogaeana festiva festiva is found in Indo-China and China.
Chremistica Stål, 1870
Cicadmalleus
Cryptotympana Stål, 1861
Cryptotympana aquila (Walker, 1850) from Thailand. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Cryptotympana aquila has a huge range from Korea south to Indo-China, as well as, Borneo, Sumatra and Brunei.
Female Cryptotympana atrata (Fabricius, 1775) from Korea. Photo by Jon Allen.
Cryptotympana atrata has a large range from Indo-China north to Korea.
Cryptotympana mandarina Distant, 1891. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Distantalna Boulard, 2009
Distantalna splendida (Distant, 1878)
Dundubia Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Dundubia sp. Photo by Santisuk Vibul.
Dundubia spiculata Noualhier, 1896. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Euterpnosia Matsumura, 1917
Euterpnosia chibensis. Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Formotosena Kato, 1925
Formotosena montivaga (Distant, 1889). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Gaeana Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Gaeana cheni Chou & Yao, 1985. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Hyalessa China, 1925
Hyalessa maculaticollis maculaticollis (de Motschulsky, 1866). Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Huechys Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Huechys sanguinea (Degeer, 1773). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
H. sanguinea can be found throughout Asia, including China, Indo-China, India & Pakistan.
Lyristes Horváth, 1926
Depending on who you ask, the Genus is Lyristes or Tibicen, so I’ll mention both. Wait — not it’s Auritibicen.
Lyristes flammatus or Tibicen flammatus (Distant, 1892)
L. flammatus aka T. flammatus (there is some dispute over the name of the genus) can be found in Japan, Korea and China.
Macrosemia Kato, 1925
Macrosemia chantrainei Boulard, 2003. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Macrosemia tonkiniana (Jacobi, 1905). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Macrosemia umbrata. Photo by Raghu Ananth.
Orientopsaltria Kato, 1944
Orientopsaltria beaudouini Boulard, 2003. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Platylomia Stål, 1870
Platylomia radah (Distant, 1881). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Platypleura Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Platypleura capitata (Olivier, 1790). Photo by Raghu Ananth.
Pomponia Stål, 1866
Purana Distant, 1905
Salvazana Distant, 1913
Salvazana mirabilis imperialis Distant, 1918. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Salvazana mirabilis mirabilis Distant, 1913
Sulphogaeana Chou & Yao, 1985
Sulphogaeana sulphurea (Westwood, 1839).
Tacua Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Tacua speciosa (Illger, 1980). Photo by Anonymous.
Tailanga Distant, 1890
Tailanga binghami Distant, 1890. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
T. binghami is found in China and the countries of Indo-China.
Tosena Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Tosena albata Distant, 1878. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Trengganua Moulton, 1923
Blog Catagories:
Links for further research:
Southeast Asia
- Phantastic songs of the S.E. Asian cicadas!
- Cicada sounds of Borneo
- A visual comparison of some cicadas of Southeast Asia
India
Japan
- Cicadae in Japan An excellent resource, including a list of Japanese cicadas, dozens of photos and audio files.
- Cicada stamps and sculptures from Japan and elsewhere
- Japanese insect pictures Many cicada photos!
Cicada species names and locations verified using The Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) by Allen F Sanborn.
April 29, 2018
Cicada habitat in peril in Connecticut
Update: The hearing on the development of this property is May 14 at 7 p.m. but researchers can write testimony now and send it to Wallingford Planning and Zoning Commission, Wallingford Town Hall, 45 S. Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492.
Megatibicen auletes, the largest cicada in North America:
Anytime we remove trees, we reduce cicada habitat. Remove a small forest of trees and we might destroy the habitat for an entire species. North American cicada species need trees to survive and live out their life cycles, and certain cicada species require specific types of trees and specific environmental conditions. This is the case for Megatibicen auletes, also known as the Northern Dusk Singing Cicada, which prefers oak trees growing in sandy soil.
Megatibicen auletes habitat is in peril in Wallingford, Connecticut, where a rare sandplain is about to be excavated and turned into space for a warehouse. Read this article: Environmental concerns prompt questions of state oversight in Wallingford. After reading the article, it seems like there is still a chance to reverse plans to develop this area. I hope it does not happen, for the sake of the cicadas.
Megatibicen auletes is the largest cicada in North America. You can hear its remarkable call right after sunset in late summer months. I wonder how many residents of the Wallingford area knew that the largest cicada in North America lived in their community. I wonder how many people have heard the auletes’ scream right after sunset and wondered what creature made that sound. Hopefully, people will have another chance to hear them this summer, rather than the sounds of machines grinding up a forest, or the silence of yet another warehouse parking lot.
March 10, 2018
Cicadas of New Zealand guidebook
There’s a new guidebook out for the cicadas of New Zealand. The book was produced by 10-year-old Olly Hills — proof that there are few age barriers to scientific interest and research.
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March 7, 2018
Cicada Merch, Gift Ideas, T-Shirts, Mugs, Books
T-Shirts & Merch:
A Zazzle store of cicada shirts, blankets and notebooks.
“Keep Calm, They’re Only 17-Year Cicadas” Shirts:
Cute Cicada Cartoon
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Classic Cicada Mania Logo
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Roy’s Magicicada septendecim
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Classic Magicicada Illustration
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Roy’s Blue Eyed cicada
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Australia’s Green Grocer cicada
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Bug of Mystery
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Here are some gift ideas for humans. Skip to a section: T-shirts & mugs, cicada books, periodical cicada books.
Random cicada things
Insect Mesh Cage/Pavillion
When people ask me where should they put live cicadas, I recommend a Butterfly Pavilion. If it works for butterflies, it typically works for cicadas.
Cicada Books
Cicadas Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle illustrated by Meryl Henderson
Cicadas Strange and Wonderful is non-fiction and well-illustrated. It’s meant for kids, but anyone who collects cicada merch should also get it.
Cicadas of North America: The Season of the Cicadas by Les Daniels.
I’ve known Les since the 1990s. In the early days of Cicada Mania, Les contributed many images to the site. The Season of the Cicadas is his book about North American cicadas and features many of his photos.
Cicadas of Australia: A photo guide to common cicadas of the Greater Sydney region by Nathan Emery.
Nathan Emery and his father David Emery, who has contributed many cicada photos to this site, are experts on the subject of the cicadas of Australia. A photo guide to common cicadas of the Greater Sydney region is Nathan’s field guide. It features a wealth of information and beautiful photos.
Periodical (17 & 13 Year) Cicada Books
A Tale of Two Broods: The 2024 Emergence of Periodical Cicada Broods XIII and XIX by Gene Kritsky
Dr. Gene Kritsky has devoted his life to studying and promoting periodical cicadas. A Tale of Two Broods: The 2024 Emergence of Periodical Cicada Broods XIII and XIX is his book for the two 2024 periodical cicada brood emergences.
Cicada: Exotic Views by Davy Shian.
Cicada: Exotic Views is a perennial classic about periodical cicadas. This book is illustrated with cartoons, like a comic book. It focuses on the diversity of reactions people have to periodical cicadas.
For Kids: Cecily Cicada
Cecily Cicada is an illustrated story about a cicada named Cecily, updated for 2020. Every 17 years the author asks me to promote it on CicadaMania.com. 🙂
January 23, 2018
Second edition of Cicadas of North American North of Mexico
Allen F. Sanborn and Maxine S. Heath have released the second edition of their book Cicadas of North American North of Mexico.
What’s new:
The second edition includes the addition of four new genera, the removal of two genera, and the addition of a few new species that were described since the first edition. We also added distributional data for all species.
Purchase a copy online from the Entomological Society of America.
While tweeting about my scientific in-laws, I can’t leave out mother-in-law Maxine Shoemaker Heath. The second edition of her “Big book of cicadas” was just published. It is full of photos & drawings of cicadas. Great stuff. @aaas @cicadamania pic.twitter.com/N6nqiu9UG7
— Michael E. Smith (@MichaelESmith) February 17, 2018
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