Kratzer, C. A.: The Cicadas of North America

Will Chatfield-Taylor

doi:10.1515/flaent-2024-0081

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Kratzer, C. A.: The Cicadas of North America

Will Chatfield-Taylor

Published/Copyright: November 7, 2024

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From the journal Florida Entomologist Volume 107 Issue 1

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Review: Kratzer, C. A. 2024. The Cicadas of North America. Owlfly Publishing. United States. ISBN 978-1-7378927-4-8.

The Cicadas of North America by Chris Alice Kratzer sets a new standard for insect field guides. Illustrating all 374 known species of North American cicadas, it is the most comprehensive guide to cicadas ever written. Previous works that provide photographs or illustrations are narrower in scope and not intended for field identification purposes, making this guide the first of its kind for North America. However, it is the sheer scope of her guide that sets it apart, not just from other guides to insects, but from those to well-known taxa such as birds. Her book was heavily researched over the course of several years with illustrations based on a combination of museum specimens, photographs and primary literature. Many of the species covered in her guide have never been previously illustrated or photographed; their source material exists solely in largely inaccessible museum and private collections. Combined with a comprehensive section on cicada biology, this guide makes North American cicadas accessible for the first time to the general public and researchers alike.

The first 59 pages are devoted to a detailed review of cicada biology. Some of this information is seldom covered outside of research papers and university courses, yet the author has succeeded in making it easily understandable for those with only a limited background in biology. Conversely, her chapter on “Cicadas and Humans” is focused on the reader, promoting the role citizen science plays in all aspects of nature conservation and different ways to individually contribute. Although this section lacks in-text citations, making finding the source of information difficult, the sources are available by subject in the bibliography.

The guide itself is organized by subfamily and tribe, with each genus getting a short description. The plates themselves are beautifully illustrated. Each cicada is divided bilaterally into various color forms or simply male and female, and includes a distribution map. Some regional color forms are given their own plates. Details relating to identification difficulty, abundance, similar species and diagnostic features are clearly laid out as is information about the ecology of each species. In addition to the author’s own exhaustive research, she consulted specialists in certain groups for further information. The resulting plates are beautifully illustrated and morphologically accurate with a focus on important identification details.

The final section is technical and delves deep into taxonomic issues she came across while researching this book. There are a number of potentially new species that she discovered and multiple changes in taxonomy that she addresses. One very interesting aspect of this section is her solicitation to readers for assistance. Those who may find specimens or photograph potentially new species may be able to work with her to formally describe them when enough evidence is gathered. It is a fascinating example of citizen science in action.

Due to the nature of cicadas and their behavior in situ, the book’s utility as a field guide in the strict sense is somewhat limited for many species. This is acknowledged by the “Field ID Rating” which ranges from “Easy” to “Cryptic,” allowing observers to determine what can or cannot be identified in the field. This guide may function best as a tool to identify photographs, or in the case of museum collections, specimens. Thanks to this guide, taxonomists can now identify many North American cicadas as far as tribe without having to specialize in regional taxa. This is a huge boon to entomologists working to curate museum collections. It should be noted that the guide does not present illustrations or other data necessary to identify “cryptic” taxa if they are available to study in-hand, but that is not the purpose of this work and is not to be expected.

As a cicada specialist, I highly recommend The Cicadas of North America to both the casual observer and researcher alike. The level of detail presented and scope makes this as much a reference book as a field guide. I feel it is indispensable for those who love insects as well as for anyone who regularly works in collections. My own efforts at curating various museum collections have suddenly become much easier. The book has limitations, but so do all works that break new ground and push the limits of what can be achieved.

Corresponding author: Will Chatfield-Taylor, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4H4, Canada, E-mail: wchatfieldtaylor@gmail.com

Published Online: 2024-11-07

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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