A Sixth Species of Annual Cicada in the Lower Susquehanna Basin: Neotibicen robinsonianus
Just as we were very pleased last month to have the opportunity to hear the sounds of the rarest of the Periodical Cicadas—the Little Seventeen-year Cicada—in the Conewago Hills of York County to thus provide our only record of the species during the Brood XIV emergence in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, we were this week delighted to find and record a population of what may be the valley’s rarest cicada experiencing annual flights—the Robinson’s Cicada—just a few miles away at Gifford Pinchot State Park.
Like the Little Seventeen-year Cicada, Robinson’s Cicada (Neotibicen robinsonianus) is a species found more commonly in the southern United States, occurring with scattered distribution in a range that extends west into Missouri, Kansas, and Texas. They are of rare occurrence in the lands of the Chesapeake drainage basin in Virginia and Maryland.
Populations of Swamp Cicadas, also known as Morning Cicadas, are presently in the midst of their yearly courtship rituals. Their songs are easily heard in woods, edge habitat, and suburbia throughout the region during the AM hours. It was while recording the sounds of these common insects in the Conewago Day-use Area at Gifford Pinchot State Park that we noticed a very unique song from high in the oaks, hickories, and other hardwoods along the lake. Listen to this sound clip featuring a group of serenading male Swamp Cicadas. In the background, a Robinson’s Cicada’s song consisting of a pulsing series of raspy buzzes, each about one second in duration, can be heard, particularly starting at 00:40.Dozen’s of Robinson’s Cicadas were heard this week in the large trees of the lakeside picnic grove in the Conewago Day-use Area at Gifford Pinchot State Park. They remained high in the canopy and were glimpsed only when flying to a new perch, so we’ll have to settle for a photo of an individual from the more southerly portions of the species’ range (provided courtesy of AmaryllisGardener, under license: CC BY-SA 4.0). We recorded these two sound clips of males singing in the forested area west of the picnic grove. The first was nearer the park campground. The second was in the vicinity of the nature center building and includes a Wood Thrush and another Robinson’s Cicada in the background.
The Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, and Gifford Pinchot State Park in particular, may currently represent the northern limit of the geographic range of the Robinson’s Cicada. If you’re in the area during the coming weeks, drop by the park and have a listen. And don’t forget to check out our “Cicadas” page for sound clips of all the species found in our area.
