Superb Cicada, Superb Dog Day Cicada

Tibicen superba, aka (superb) green cicada or superb cicada (often lumped with other cicadas and incorrectly referred to as a locust), is one of the most widespread cicadas in Oklahoma along with the scissor grinder cicada (t. pruinosa). T. superba cicadas are usually the second cicada to emerge in central Oklahoma after the hieroglyphic cicada (Neocicada Hieroglyphica), roughly averaging around June 10th. They are in full swing from about June 20 through July 20.

T. superba is native to much of Oklahoma and Texas. They can also be heard in far southern Kansas, SW Missouri, western parts of Arkansas and Louisiana, and northern Mexico.

The call consists of a short rattle often connected by a very low, barely audible buzz before starting the "rattle" call again.... read more It usually has 3-4 "rattles" connected by the low buzz before quitting for awhile. The rattles are short, commonly around 3-5 seconds and sometimes 5-7 seconds in the evening hours. They are mostly heard during the hottest time of day, as early as 10 am but mostly from noon to 6 pm in central Oklahoma and can be heard in the evenings to just after sunset occasionally but with a weaker, slower "rattle." I have noticed that usually the hotter the temperature, the shorter the "rattle," and at cooler temperatures-longer. They are almost always heard in the trees here and are easily scared away.

Along with being one of the first to emerge, they are the first to disappear in relation to other cicadas in central Oklahoma.
Their calling songs start to fade by the last few days of July and in some areas are completely gone by early August, to be succeeded by later emerging cicadas that continue to sing through mid October.

Superb Cicada, Tibicen superba (aka: Tibicen superbus, Cicada superba), is an annual dog day cicada which emerges every year and has a has a life span of two to four years. It is found in the southwestern United States and is the most commonly found cicada in Central Texas. Its thorax and head are mostly green and it is mid-sized (about Aprox. 45-50mm). It is known as "dog day cicada" because it makes its annual appearance during the dog days of summer when it is very hot and humid. Dog days coincide with the time when Sirius, the Dog Star rises at the same time as the sun.