Yesterday afternoon, I discovered this newly emerged cicada adult clinging to its discarded exoskeleton on a poplar tree at the edge of the eastern hill at our place in Lanark.Summer's cicadas are at the final or imago stage of their life cycle. They have such exquisite coloration, such delicate pattern and transparency to their wings, and each one I discover is like a small woodland jewel. They all seem to wear wide eyed hopeful expressions right after they have emerged into the green world as adults.
Only the males of the species produce the cicada songs which we associate with summer evenings, and the mating songs of cicadas are not produced by stridulation (like crickets) but through the rapid vibration of the tymbals mounted at the bases of their abdomens.
This is another one of those summer experiences which always brings back memories - the singing of cicadas in summer is one of the first things I can remember.
8 comments:
Great find! The blue cast to the wings ... It looks like the wings aren't completely hardened, which would explain why your little guy is still hanging out.
How high up on the trunk did you find your guy? Last year was our bumper year for cicadas. There were all these holes in the ground which were a mystery to me at first. I kept finding the "husks" clinging to all kinds of vegetation, but most around 1-2 feet above the ground. I kept a couple of the nicer (more intact) ones.
interesting! your photo is amazing
This photo reminds me of a time I was a leader/helper at a Girl Scout camp. The girls wore these on their T-shirts!
That's just so awesome. Cicada's have been insignificant to me becuase we really don't see them where I live (that I know of), but not anymore after seeing your amazing photos. They're beautiful!
the wings are beautiful
Your photos are so incredible. Do you have a long lens on your camera? How's your weather?
I bow down to you. These are amazing photographs.
I didn't realize that only the males produce songs and that the song is created differently than the crickets. Wow! Thanks for the interesting tidbits.
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