Thursday, March 10, 2016

Cicadas

One of the most iconic sounds of summer (besides the ice cream truck), is the sound of the Cicada. Cicadas are found on all continents, except Antarctica. In the United States, most people think of the 13 year, or 17 year cicadas. They get the most press. However, we also have annual cicadas. These guys come out every year to serenade our summer days. A female will lay her eggs in the young branches of a tree. Once they have hatched and fed for a bit, they will come out of the branch, drop to the ground, and tunnel down to the feed on the roots. They can stay underground for a couple of years to 17 years, depending on the type of cicada. They will kind of look like a big beetle by the time they are ready to make their journey above ground. They climb up the tree trunk where they will shed their shell and begin their adult life looking like a giant fly. They are quite harmless to humans.
I found this one just as it had emerged.




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