Rocky mountain Cicada found in Kelowna

I heard this cicada before I saw it, sitting on a tree trunk about 4 feet off the ground.

There are about 3000 species of cicada world wide.  Of those, only 3 species have a 17 year cycle.  There are only 4 species that have a 13 year cycle.  The above is neither.  The Rocky Mountain cicada, Okanagana occidentalis, has a 1 year life cycle.  Of the 9 species of cicada found in BC, this one is the most common.  I actually found a different species three weeks ago, but didn't get a photograph of it.

It is not a coincidence that the species has the term Okanagana as its genus name.  It was named after the region because of its common occurrence there and as a nod to its western distribution.  

The nymphs and adults have piercing mouthparts and feed on the sap of trees and shrubs.  The adults do eat, but not much, and don't generally harm the plants they feed on.  They can fly, poorly, but well enough to get about.  The males are the ones that sing, some species can produce sound up to 105 decibels.  What's really impressive is that there are few creatures around that can make sounds louder than this - one of them is the sperm whale.  Given the size difference, it's an incredible fact.

There are certain aspects of the cicada lifecycle that have value.  The holes they bore in the ground aerate the soil and help facilitate drainage.  They often come out en masse and are an important part of the food chain, especially the ones that do so annually.  Although they are easily heard, they are hard to spot.  They often sing from the highest points of trees and a group of them can make quite a racket.  

The one I photographed two days ago is only the third one I have found.  Given their propensity for singing, one would think I would see them more often.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com