Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.
Some Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica photos from my cellphone.
All photos captured in Brendan T. Byrne State Park, in New Jersey.
Neocicada hieroglyphica exuvia (skin/shell):
Neocicada hieroglyphica exuvia (skin/shell):
Neocicada hieroglyphica ventral view:
Neocicada hieroglyphica side view:
Neocicada hieroglyphica dorsal view:
Updating (9/8) with some photos of an adult male Hieropglyhic cicada.
Updating (6/28) with some more locations: Bass River Park (E Greenbrook Rd), Harrisville Pond, Franklin Parker preserve.
Cicada season started in New Jersey last week with the emergence and singing of Neocicada Hieroglyphica aka the Hieroglyphic cicada. I heard them in Brendan T. Byrne state park and Hammonton. Someone on our Instagram said he heard them in Vineland.
Cicadas.info which specializes in the cicadas of the Mid-Atlantic, has Hieropglyhic cicadas starting around June 8th — this makes sense because they’re found in Florida, as well as more northern states like New Jersey and New York (Long Island).
You can hear their high-pitched screams in this video:
Here is the molted skin of a Hieroglyphic cicada:
Hieroglyphic cicadas (Neocicada hieroglyphica aka Hieroglyphic Cicada) are present in most of southern New Jersey, particularly the Pine Barrens area which has sandy soil (pure sand in a lot of places) and many pine and oak trees. This area is historically prone to fires because of the dry sandy soil and sappy pines. The fact that at least some Hieroglyphic cicadas appear every year and spend many years underground probably helps them circumvent minor fires.
Here’s a photo of a Hieroglyphic and Northern Dusk-Singing Cicada exuvia (shed skin). Quite a difference! Brendan T. Byrne State Forest.
Some Locations:
All these areas are heavily infested with ticks, deer flies, and in some cases, mosquitos. Take precaution.
Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica (Say, 1830) and Neocicada hieroglyphica johannis (Walker, 1850) aka Hieroglyphic Cicada.
Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica by Dan, 2022, New Jersey.
Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica by Joe Green, 2007, Florida.
Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica Photo by Joe Green.
See all Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica images and information on cicadamania.com.
There are two subspecies of Neocicada hieroglyphica: Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica (Say, 1830) and Neocicada hieroglyphica johannis (Walker, 1850). According to Wm. T. Davis, a key difference is: on N. hieroglyphica johannis, “the black marks on the head, pronotum and mesonotum are more in the form of spots than of continuous lines as in typical hieroglyphica”.
Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: N. hieroglyphica hieroglyphica
Source: ©Joe Green | Species: N. hieroglyphica hieroglyphica
Source: ©Joe Green | Species: N. hieroglyphica hieroglyphica
Source: ©Joe Green | Species: N. hieroglyphica hieroglyphica
Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.
Cicada hieroglyphica Say.
Occurs from Riverhead, Long Island, N. Y., to eastern Kansas and southward. In peninsular Florida the variety johannis Walker replaces the typical form. The black marks on the head, pronotum and mesonotum are more in the form of spots than of continuous lines as in typical hieroglyphica.The song does not continue long, but sometimes, as in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, the insects appear in numbers, when their united effort produces a considerable noise.
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cicadini
Subtribe: Leptopsaltriina
Genus: Neocicada
Species: Neocicada hieroglyphica
Subspecies: Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica (Say, 1830)
Subspecies: Neocicada hieroglyphica johannis (Walker, 1850)
Brood I Magicicada periodical cicadas continue to emerge in VA, WA and TN. Magicicada stragglers belonging to other broods, continue to emerge as well.
Neocicada hieroglyphica are around as well, particularly in Florida [link goes to image].
Neocicada hieroglyphica by Joe Green, 2007.
Cicadas belonging to the genus Cacama (Cactus Dodgers), including the Cacama valvata are emerging in south-western states like New Mexico and Arizona [link goes to image].
Cacama valvata cicada photos by Adam Fleishman
Cicadas belonging to the genus Tibicen are emerging in warmer areas of the United States. Joe Green found a Tibicen tibicen (possibly Tibicen tibicen australis [see Insect Singers site for song and description]) in Florida. Tibicen superbus [image] are emerging in Southern states as well.
Neotibicen superbus from Texas photo by Roy Troutman.
Cicadas belonging to the genus Platypedia are emerging in Califorina [link goes to image]. See also Hello, my tree is clicking.
Cicadas belonging to the genus Okanagana are emerging in California [link goes to image].
H is for Hieroglyphic Cicada. The Neocicada hieroglyphica a.k.a. Hieroglyphic Cicada is found in the south-eastern United States. It’s active in the late spring and early summer. There are multiple subspecies of the Hieroglyphic Cicada including the Neocicada hieroglyphica hieroglyphica and Neocicada hieroglyphica johannis, according to InsectSingers.com.
Photo by Matt Berger.
Listen to a Hieroglyphic Cicada:
Neocicada hieroglyphica singing by Joe Green from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
(Photo by Huechys sanguinea by =spurdog=, on Flickr). Here’s a cool photo of a Neocicada hieroglyphica aka Hieroglyphic Cicada (named for the shapes on its back) found by Matt Berger on top of a rocky ridge in the Red River Gorge in Kentucky.
Joe Green wrote us to let us know that he heard the first Neocicada hieroglyphica of the year.
Just wanted to let you all know I heard the first male Neocicada hieroglyphica calling from a oak tree today at Chico’s World Headquarters campus here in Fort Myers, Florida. I heard the warm-up pre call at first that lead into to the full blown chorus call for 6 repeated calls before he stopped. It was 2:40 pm EST, in the afternoon with the temperature reaching 80 degrees on this day. I have yet to hear one at Dusk here at the house but I’ll listen from now on with the start of the season here in south Florida and record all my data for this year’s research. I’ll keep in touch with all of you as the year proceeds.
Joes Neocicada hieroglyphica photos:
Video of a singing Neocicada hieroglyphica:
Neocicada hieroglyphica singing by Joe Green from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Joe Green sent me a couple of CDs worth of North American cicadas calling and has graciously allowed us to use them for the site. The highlight of these videos is that they feature cicada calls.
I have to add descriptions, and about 50 more videos, but for now check out what’s uploaded so far.
Here’s a sample:
Neocicada hieroglyphica singing by Joe Green from Cicada Mania on Vimeo.
Thanks to Cicada Mania friend Joe Green we now have 3 new cicada galleries featuring cicadas we didn’t have before one the site: Neocicada hieroglyphica, Diceroprocta olympusa and Megatibicen resonans.
This is a Neocicada hieroglyphica:
Hang in there, we’ll be back to the 17 Year Cicadas tomorrow.