# Northern Dog-day Cicada (*Neotibicen canicularis*) The Northern Dog-day Cicada is a loud, buzzing insect that loves to sing on hot summer days. They have big eyes and can be found resting on trees and shrubs. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Dog-day Cicada ![Northern Dog-day Cicada](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2021-08-05_08_40_33_Dog_Day_Cicada_on_a_sidewalk_along_Stone_Heather_Drive_in_the_Chantilly_Highlands_section_of_Oak_Hill%252C_Fairfax_County%252C_Virginia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2021-08-05_08_40_33_Dog_Day_Cicada_on_a_sidewalk_along_Stone_Heather_Drive_in_the_Chantilly_Highlands_section_of_Oak_Hill%252C_Fairfax_County%252C_Virginia.jpg) ## Appearance The Northern Dog-day Cicada has a robust, blackish body with distinctive pale yellowish or greenish markings on its thorax and abdomen. Its clear, membranous wings feature prominent greenish veins, making it visually distinct from other cicadas with darker wing venation or different body patterns. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hemiptera - **Family:** Cicadidae - **Genus:** Neotibicen ## Interesting facts - Adult cicadas live for only a few weeks, but their whole life lasts years! - Cicadas shed their skin, leaving behind empty 'ghosts' clinging to trees! - Some cicada songs are loud enough to be heard over a mile away! - They drink tree sap using a straw-like mouthpart, all day long! ## Special abilities - **Sonic Buzzer:** Northern Dog-day Cicada can produce an incredibly loud, buzzing song because of specialized organs called tymbals that help them attract mates. - **Root Feeder:** Northern Dog-day Cicada has a long nymphal stage, spending years underground because this helps them feed safely on tree root sap. - **Tree Drinker:** Northern Dog-day Cicada can pierce tree branches with its straw-like proboscis because this helps them extract nutrient-rich sap. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 50-70 mm - **Size:** 25-35 mm - **Lifespan:** 730-1825 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These herbivores drink nutrient-rich sap from the xylem of trees and shrubs using a special straw-like mouthpart. - **Age differences:** Nymphs feed on tree root sap underground; adults feed on sap from branches and twigs above ground. - **Primary Foods:** tree sap, shrub sap, xylem fluid - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Sugar Maple](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sugar-maple) (*Acer saccharum*) — provides sap for food - **Depends on:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — nymphs feed on roots, adults on branches - **Eaten by:** [European Starling](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-starling) (*Sturnus vulgaris*) — readily preys on adult cicadas - **Eaten by:** Turkey Vulture (*Cathartes aura*) — adult cicadas are a food source ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Cicadas are harmless, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Northern Dog-day Cicada? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Northern Dog-day Cicada's wingspan? 50-70 mm ### How big is Northern Dog-day Cicada? 25-35 mm ### How long does Northern Dog-day Cicada live? 730-1825 days ### How fast can Northern Dog-day Cicada fly? 15 km/h ### What does Northern Dog-day Cicada eat? These herbivores drink nutrient-rich sap from the xylem of trees and shrubs using a special straw-like mouthpart. ### Where is Northern Dog-day Cicada usually found? Forests ### How does Northern Dog-day Cicada hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Stafford Village Four Corners Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stafford-village-four-corners-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Northern Dog-day Cicada: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-dog-day-cicada)