How to Identify Apache Cicadas in Your Area

Cicadas are fascinating insects known for their distinctive sound and unique life cycles. Among the many species of cicadas found across North America, the Apache cicada is one of the most intriguing. If you live in or around the Southwestern United States, especially in Arizona and New Mexico, you may encounter these cicadas during their active seasons. Identifying Apache cicadas correctly can help you appreciate their role in the ecosystem and understand their life cycle better.

In this article, we will explore how to identify Apache cicadas in your area by examining their physical characteristics, behavior, habitat preferences, and the sounds they make. By the time you finish reading, you will be equipped with all the knowledge needed to distinguish Apache cicadas from other similar species.

Overview of Apache Cicadas

Apache cicadas belong to the genus Diceroprocta, which includes several species commonly found in the southwestern regions of the United States and northern Mexico. The most common species referred to as Apache cicadas is Diceroprocta apache. These cicadas are part of the family Cicadidae.

Unlike some cicada species that have long life cycles lasting 13 or 17 years, Apache cicadas have shorter life cycles. They typically emerge every summer, making them a seasonal spectacle.

Physical Characteristics of Apache Cicadas

Size and Shape

Apache cicadas are medium-sized insects. Adults typically range from 1.5 to 2 inches (about 4 to 5 centimeters) in length. Like other cicadas, they have stout bodies with broad heads.

Coloration

One of the key features that helps identify Apache cicadas is their coloration:

• Their bodies are generally a tawny or light brown color.
• They have dark brown or black markings on their thorax and abdomen.
• The wings are translucent with noticeable brown veins.
• The eyes are typically reddish-brown or coppery in color, which distinguishes them from some other cicada species that have green or black eyes.

This combination of earthy browns and translucent wings helps them blend into their natural environment of dry woodlands and scrublands.

Wings

The wings of Apache cicadas are large relative to their bodies and held tent-like over their backs when at rest. The veins running through the wings have a distinct dark brown coloration, giving a netted appearance that is fairly characteristic.

Behavior Patterns

Emergence Time

Apache cicadas usually emerge during the hottest months of summer—typically from June through August. This is when adult males begin their mating calls to attract females.

Calling Songs

Male Apache cicadas produce loud, continuous buzzing calls that can last for several minutes at a time. Their song is a steady, high-pitched pulse or trill that differs from other cicada species’ more complex calls.

Listening for these unique calls during summer evenings can be one of the easiest ways to detect their presence even if you don’t immediately see them.

Flight and Movement

These cicadas are strong fliers but tend to move slowly when perched on trees or shrubs. They often remain stationary for long periods while calling or resting.

Habitat Preferences

Apache cicadas favor dry environments typical of the American Southwest. Understanding where they like to live can help you locate them more easily:

• Trees: They primarily inhabit mesquite trees (Prosopis spp.), junipers, pinyon pines, and other desert-adapted trees.
• Shrubs: They are also found on various thorny shrubs common to arid regions.
• Elevation: They typically occur at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level.
• Soil: Because cicada nymphs spend most of their lives underground feeding on tree root sap, they prefer well-drained soils where digging is easier.

If your property or local natural areas have these types of vegetation and climatic conditions, you might be sharing space with Apache cicadas during summer months.

Distinguishing Apache Cicadas from Similar Species

Several other cicada species exist in overlapping geographical ranges, so it’s important to use multiple identification clues:

| Feature | Apache Cicada | Similar Species (e.g., Diceroprocta viridifascia) |
|————————|——————————————-|————————————————————|
| Body color | Tawny/light brown with dark markings | Often greener or more uniformly colored |
| Eye color | Reddish-brown or copper | Usually greenish or black |
| Wing veins | Dark brown | Lighter veins |
| Song | Steady high-pitched buzz | More complex or variable calls |
| Preferred trees | Mesquite, juniper | Oak or other hardwoods |

Combining these traits will increase your confidence in identifying an Apache cicada versus another closely related species.

How to Spot Apache Cicadas in Your Area

Step 1: Listen for Their Calls

During summer evenings, take a walk around wooded areas and listen carefully for steady buzzing sounds coming from trees and shrubs. This is often the first indication that Apache cicadas are present.

Step 2: Look for Movement on Trees

Once you detect calling sounds, examine nearby tree trunks and branches for movement or resting insects matching the size and coloration described above.

Step 3: Use a Flashlight at Night

Cicadas are less active at night but may still be visible resting on vegetation close to light sources. Using a flashlight can help spot their reflective wings and bodies.

Step 4: Search Underneath Trees for Exuviae (Cast Skins)

After molting from nymphs into adults, cicadas leave behind cast exoskeletons attached to tree bark or branches. Finding these shells confirms recent emergence nearby.

Protecting and Appreciating Apache Cicadas

Apache cicadas provide ecological benefits such as aerating soil through their underground activities and serving as food sources for birds and other wildlife. Here are ways you can help protect them:

• Avoid excessive pesticide use near native trees.
• Preserve mesquite groves and natural dry woodlands.
• Educate neighbors about the importance of cicadas in local ecosystems.
• Document sightings to contribute data for entomologists studying regional populations.

By learning how to identify and respect these insects, you contribute positively to biodiversity conservation efforts in your area.

Conclusion

Identifying Apache cicadas requires attention to specific physical features like body color, wing patterns, eye color, as well as behavioral clues such as their distinctive calling songs and habitat preferences. If you live within their Southwestern U.S. range—particularly Arizona and New Mexico—summer evenings filled with steady buzzing likely signal their presence nearby.

By following tips on where to look and what to listen for, you can become adept at spotting these remarkable insects. Appreciating their unique life cycles and ecological roles enriches our connection with nature and helps ensure they thrive alongside us for future generations to enjoy. So next summer, keep an ear out for those defining trills—you might just discover an Apache cicada right outside your door!