[NatureNS] Cicada Experts Needed

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Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:12:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: Clarence Stevens <birder_ca@yahoo.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi All, I am back in Manitoba where I have been carrying out bird surveys for
most of the year. Several Nova Scotian birders are semi-famous and well liked
out here including birder/part time comedian Don MacNeill, birding guru Ian
Mclaren, bander deceased but not forgotten Ross Anderson and birder/naturalist
Peter Austin-Smith.  

Today I am trying to identify a picture of a cicada that was crawling around
this weekend in NS. 

Tentatively I have identified it as Tibicen canicularis for the following four
reasons : 

1. a quick "eyeball inspection" of its body markings reveals an individual that
looks either identical or very similar to this species.

2. this species is commonly known as Havestfly as it is often active and even
heard calling during the fall harvest times.

3. I am pretty sure I have identified this species in the past in Nova Scotia
during the summer months. 

Note : Another common name is the Dog Day Cicada or Dogday Harvestfly as adults
often start calling during the dog days of  summer.  Mature males sing from
August through late September or early October. 

4. Tibicen canicularis is a species whose range I believe includes NS 

However there may be as many as 150 species of cicadas found in North America
indicating that there may be other very similar species in NS. So my questions
for the cicada experts are as follows :

1. What species of cicadas can be and/or have been found in NS ? 
2. What species of cicadas would be active in NS as late as mid-September ?
3. While I believe this species is common in NS, how common and widespread is
Tibicen canicularis ?

Any help anyone can render will be appreciated. - cheers, Clarence 

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