There are two major groups of Cicada. The long cycle or Magicicada and the shorter cycled species, the so called Dog Day cicadas in Tibicen, Okanagan and Neocicada which can have cycles as short as four years and emerge every year in overlap. There are 137 species in all groups in North America. All are capable of sometimes impressive sounds. The massive hatches of 17 year cicada can be one of the most overwhelming sounds in nature. I heard the 13 year hatch in 2002 and was amazed. (See essay added from Snowmelt Timberdoodles.) Astounding event in the full measure. I love the blue tones here in the fresh wing veins. This emerged not long before I found it. There was another on the same limb. It is one of the short cycled species but too young to tell species. Also see the excellent Periodical Cicada Page. Link to the Texas list and some info here.

Our Tibicen and Neocicada singers are:

   Tibicen auletes (Northern Dusk-singing Cicada) (entire state) song

   Tibicen chloromera (Swamp Cicada) (Miss. river drainages in the east) song

   Tibicen davisi (Davis's Southeastern Dog-day Cicada) (central and southeastern section) song

   Tibicen lyricen (Lyric Cicada) (entire state) song

   Tibicen marginalis (Walker's Cicada or Marginate Cicada) (entire state) song

   Tibicen pruinosa (Scissor-grinder Cicada) (entire state) song

   Tibicen robinsoniana (Robinson's Cicada) (small north central area in AR) song image

   Neocicada hieroglyphica (Hieroglyphic Cicada) (entire state) song

And our Magicicada cyclic broods:

   Brood XIX (13 year) emergence map upcoming years 2011 and 2024

   Brood XXIII (13 year) emergence map upcoming years 2015 and 2028

   Brood IV (17 year) emergence map (Our only 17 year Magicicada and it barely encroaches in NW and SW corners of AR) upcoming years are 2015 and 2032

The XIX brood from 2011 of Magicicada. Norm shot this in north Central Arkansas. Brood spares most of South Arkansas but is extensive in Missouri and Illinois areas. Also into Oklahoma. Large map (see link above). The broods are actually made up of four different species with most areas having three species at least. M. tredecim, M. neotredecim, M. tredecassini and M. tredecula. The vocalizations are different for each species. The species neotredecim and tredecim being the ones that give the flying saucer sound in dense chorus.

The largest Tibicen in our area is T. auletes. Known as the Northern Dusk-singing (see above). Also seems to be the dominant singer in my woods, at least in July. Started singing in the last week of May in 2011. Several species have the greening at the wing base and auletes is known for the cottony dust up over the body that is very variable apparently.

Known as the Hieroglyphic, it is in the separate genus from our other loud summer cicada singers. Smaller overall, I don't think any of the Tibicen species have the terminal dot row on the veins of the forewing. Generally greener and the marks on the head and thorax, though variable are distinctive.

Head detail on a different Neo lured to my lights. Compare with above. Slightly less green. Contrasting eyes are quite darker than most of the Tibicen.

This shot is from the Terre Noir prairie area from Cheryl and this is an obligate prairie species that I doubt occurs anywhere but our few prairie remnants. Apparently only recently found in Missouri. Not sure the AR Heritage guys know this is there. It is Beameria venosa. It is the smallest cicada in our area by far. Looks like a big leafhopper at less than an inch long. I don't have its song evident anywhere on the web. All the other species above are eliminated by size alone.