Sorry for the delay in responding to this but I wanted to make sure. After consulting some colleagues for verification, this cannot be T. robinsonia because we do not have this species here in Massachusetts. This can only be T. canicularis because of its location.

With your ID Andy for several reasons:

1). To be T. linnei, costal margin of forewing is more "bent" in the middle as in this picture here. and here.

2). Body length of T. linnei is over 25 mm. If Tony's measurement is accurate (as I assume it to be) then this falls well within the body length of T. canicularis. T. linnei are bigger.

3). I have a short video on my web site of T. linnei calling in Connecticut and they sound more like someone shaking those spanish maracas (or like the sound of someone using a salt-shaker).

I would be curious if Tony would listen to the video (click on my user name to access my site) to confirm if he has heard these there in Hampshire county because I would definately be interested in investigating. If this is indeed a species in Massachusetts it would be a first for me.

I have recently seen the original description of Tibicen robinsoniana, which appears to be a form intermediate between T. linnei and T. canicularis. Davis says that the call in similar to that of T. linnei, but slower and longer: "its long-drawn-out slow *zape, zape, zape* continued for from 1 to 2 minutes is a very different performance from the more hurried *zeger, zeger, zeger* of linnei continued for but a short time."

It sounds to me like this form is a hybrid between the two species. I note that it occurs in Canada wherever (and only where) the two species come in contact with each other.

This has been interesting reading your conversation. To (hopefully) make things easier, I have uploaded a higher-res image and added a dorsal shot.

I try to get the best measurements I can, this one was 25mm give or take a couple, and about 10-11mm wide at the head...perhaps all this will help:)

These two species are indeed very similar, but are often confused because individuals vary so much in size and shape of wings. There may also be regional variations or possibly even unrecognized "sibling" species. The two species that occur in Canada are differentiated in the following way. Note that the overall length is less different than the width across the head, and that the body length (minus wings) varies more than the length across the folded wings.
Adult linnei: head 12-13.5 mm wide (eyes more prominent than in T. canicularis); length (wings folded) 4.2-5.1 cm; male opercula projecting 5-6 mm beyond hind leg base. Song: short, loud bursts with lower note at end of each: "zeeger, zeeger, zeeger" (according to Davis 1926, in a faunal work on New Jersey cicadas).
Adult canicularis: head 11-12.5 mm wide; length (wings folded) 4.0-4.8 cm; male opercula rather short, projecting 3.5-4.5 mm beyond hind leg base. Song: a loud, continuous buzz rising to a crescendo and then dying away after about a minute, strikingly similar to the noise of a buzz-saw.

In Brittons Guide to the Insects of Connecticut, Davis states:

"This species has so far been reported only from the southern part of Connecticut and does not appear to be generally distributed in the New England States, though occuring in some fo the counties of New York State immediately west of Massachusetts. Its generally larger size, more prominent eyes and shining surface of dorsum of the abdomen, and above all the bent costal margins of the fore wings, will serve to distinguish this species from canicularis."

While I agree that there are size variations in species, especially in T. canicularis (I've documented this and is in the guide under T. canicularis) I have attributed this to competition for food, or perhaps a poor health host plant.

I have measured some 30 species of T. canicularis in my collection across the head, from eye to eye their heads are between 10 and 11.5 mm. Which falls well within the parameters of Tony's measurement of 10 mm. If this is true then the head is too small to be linnei.

Also, I have been mapping the species of Cicadas here in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and while T. linnei is sparse there, I have yet to hear it or collect specimens in Mass.

Which is why I ask Tony to listen to the video of the T. linnei calling song on my web site.

Hi Gerry,

I did listen to the song on your site, and I have heard that song here before. BUT I've also heard one similar to what Andy described...There are a lot of trees around here, so you can assume there are other species present (or there are song variations, I never confess to being an expert:) Either way, it only circumstantial evidence in identifying this particular specimen. right?

If you think you've heard T. linnei in Hampshire county I'll have to investigate it further. I can tell you I've been around Hampsire county, I've even noted O. rimosa there but it's always been T. lyricen and T. canicularis. T. linnei are generally known to sing in light aggregations (groups) and later in the day around 5:00 to 7:30 pm. Which could explain why I haven't heard them...yet. T. linnei are also known to have two different song variations depending upon the temperature. Slower tempo on cool days and faster tempo on hotter days.

There are slight song variations within a species, I've noted them in T. chloromera in Connecticut and I've noticed it in T. lyricen as well so I guess anything is possible. With regards to this specimen, I'm sorry to say but I am convinced its T. canicularis given your measurements and the shape of the costal wing margin.

Hey Andy,

That truly rings a bell (no pun intended).I have listened closely to the cicada songs around our house, and they do just as you've described. Usually the last trills of the song drop in pitch right before they stop - kida of like someone trying to start a lawn-mower...

(as you know) we had the remnants of the hurricane blow through here yesterday, and I wonder if that disrupted the normal behavior...

by others that Cicadas do come to lights. Especially T. lyricen but I haven't had much success. Maybe I'm using the wrong kind of light :)

I have had quite a few cicadas come to ordinary incandescent porch lights

Do you think halogens would work? I got these huge outside lights for working at night, if I shine them up into a tree, or something maybe I can get them to come to that?