130 
Psyche 
[December 
CICADAS IN TEXAS 
East central Texas is a veritable cicada paradise. I have 
never visited a region where so many species are as abun- 
dant as occur in, for instance, the Madison County region. 
They are numerous in many parts of the post oak woods, 
but are most plentiful in the alluvial forests and groves in 
the lower grounds along the Navasota and Trinity Rivers. 
Here in June and July, the air is vibrant with the songs of 
Tihicen superha, T. pruinosa, T. resh, T. marginalis, T. 
chloromera, T. lyricen and Diceroprocta vitripennis. The 
chorus becomes most intense late in the afternoon, when 
pruinosa may predominate. The songs of the species men- 
tioned differ considerably and are quite easily recognizable. 
Tihicen resh is often found in great numbers in some large 
detached oak or other tree standing in the open, the trunk 
of which may bear scores of the cast skins of this species. 
Resh may be silent for long intervals, when suddenly the 
whole population may burst into song simultaneously, re- 
sulting in an ear-splitting din which subsides as suddenly 
as it arose. The great cicada-killing wasp ( Sphecius 
speciosus) is a constant attendant of the cicada aggrega- 
tions, its deep hum being audible among the branches where 
an occasional agonized shriek of an unfortunate victim re- 
veals the success of the wasp’s hunting. These wasps vary 
greatly in size, and I have seen the smaller individuals 
(25-35 mm. in length) capturing the smaller cicadas as 
Diceroprocta vitripennis . Undoubtedly the larger indi- 
viduals (40-50 mm. in length) select the larger species as 
resh or marginalis. Lurking in openings in the forests may 
be seen individuals of the robber-fly, Microstylum morosum, 
the largest American Asilid, sometimes reaching a length 
of 50 mm. This species frequently pounces on cicadas, 
carrying them off in its long legs to a bush or branch. Here 
the fly, suspended from the twig by a front leg and pressing 
the cicada to its long sharp beak with the others, feeds on 
its victim. I have seen this fly seize D. vitripennis , and Mr. 
F. F. Bibby and Mr. W. C. O’Dowd once took a large T. resh 
which had been captured by this Microstylum. 
Stanley W. Bromley. 
