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Periodical Cicada?
Thu, May 21, 2009 at 9:13 AM
Greetings! Early in the morning about a week ago, I noticed something white on the ground – looking closer, I realized it was a cicada freshly emerged with it’s shed casing nearby. It was on it’s back & struggling; touching bugs give me the heebe-geebes, so I just got in my car & drove away after taking the photo. When I got home that evening, I looked for it & it had gained it’s legs and changed color, but looked dead. It stayed there for a couple days then disappeared. I think it fell out of a River Birch and ‘hatched’ on the ground instead of up in the tree like it should have. I’m located just outside of Raleigh, NC. Great site!
only observe from a distance
Raleigh NC

Periodical Cicada

Trauma during metamorphosis often results in moths not being able to fully develop their wings.  The same is probably true for Cicadas like your tragic example of a Periodical Cicada.  We do find it unusual that you don’t mention seeing any other individuals.  We find it hard to believe that only a single individual emerged in your area.

Related Posts

1. Periodical Cicada (November 17, 2006)
2. Another Periodical Cicada emerging either early or late (July 18, 2006)
3. Periodical Cicada: Brood XIV (May 31, 2008)
4. Brood XIII: Periodical Cicadas Mating, Emerging and Laying Eggs Brood XIII: Emergence of a Periodical Cicada (June 15, 2007)
5. Brood XIII: Emergence of a Periodical Cicada (June 8, 2007)