Cicada Killer
August 5, 2009
Hello 
I recently found this interesting wasp looking bug hanging from my balcony holding a cicada. Normally, I would not have known what the heck was going on here (some kind of inter-species fling??) But just that morning, I had read an article in the local newsletter about these interesting bugs, and decided to take a few pics. The article was lettiong members of the community know to not kill them or try to exterminate them, that they are a “good bug” (as most are, but still we have to squish or swat them out of fear)
After perusing your site for the identification of a house centipede (a very scary million-legged beast that was crawling around with our son on the floor. Unfortunately, after reading about it, I would have tried to put it outside to battle our spider problem…) I thought about the pictures I had taken of the cool Cicada Killer in action. I thought that they would be a great addition to your site and some good education for paeple that may not know about them. Sadly, the Cicada Killer could not keep holding on to the balcony with one leg, and dropped his prey, so I got a pic of that too (quite a pretty cicada actually).
Enjoy and keep doin what youre doin, and thanks for my newfound interest in bugs
Cool Bug Lover
Washington, DC
Cicada Killer and Annual Cicada
Dear Cool Bug Lover,
Thanks for sending us your great food chain images of a Cicada Killer and an Annual Cicada. Female Cicada Killers are used to struggling with their large ungainly prey and we suspect she eventually arrived at her burrow with her catch. The Cicada Killer takes advantage of gravity by climbing trees and other tall structures and gliding toward the nest with the prey in tow. We are also gladdened to hear your local newsletter is promoting tolerance of Cicada Killers which terrify many of our readers.
Cicada Killer and Annual Cicada Prey
Carpenter Ants Devour Emerging Cicada
July 29, 2009
Dear Bug Man:
Thought you might be able to use one of these photos in your “food chain’ category. My son called me over to an old oak tree, to see a group of carpenter ants eating what he thought was a large caterpillar. When I got there, I could see it was an emerging cicada. I don’t know if the cicada died as a result of not being able to emerge fully from it’s nymphal skin, and the ants were just scavenging the carcass. Or, if the ants started attacking it shortly after it crawled up the tree. No idea what type of cicade this one is, but parts of it were a lovely turquoise green. This was the only cicada on the whole tree–no other shells or nymphs were around. Was this cicada’s biological clock working OK?
Chris O.
Wildwood Park, near Toledo, OH
Carpenter Ants devour emergent Cicada
Hi Chris,
Thanks so much for sending us your wonderful food chain documentation of Carpenter Ants devouring an Annual Cicada that was in the process of metamorphosis. We suspect the Carpenter Ants attacked the Cicada while it was helpless and unable to escape. The Cicada’s biological clock was right on time, as they emerge during the summer. This is an Annual Cicada, and unlike the Periodical Cicadas that emerge every 14 or 17 years, the Annual Cicadas emerge each year.
1
cicadas are my new best friend
July 24, 2009
i’ve never seen such a small cicada around here before, but i found this little neocicada hieroglyphica last night under the light by my garage, cornered by two toads who were trying to catch it. it crawled onto my hand and hung on tight for about an hour, any port in a storm i guess. it was a little less than an inch long, and crawled enthusiastically toward the clicking sound of my camera’s focus. i assume it thought my camera was hitting on it. cicadas have a one track mind.
rebekah
summerville, sc
Hieroglyphic Cicada
Dear Rebekah,
Thanks so much for sending us your wonderful images of a Hieroglyphic Cicada and for providing such an entertaining narrative. We are linking to the BugGuide information page on Neocicada hieroglyphica.
Hieroglyphic Cicada
¶ Posted 26 July 2009 § ‡ ° Insect found in front yard…
July 15, 2009
This approx. 1.75 in long, about as thick as my pinkie finger. Very slow to move, very strong legs (held onto a stick I transferred him on), and two large front claws. Six legs, no wings. Has a butt that looks like a honey bee! Heavy, solid bug. Covered in some type of protective coating of sap and dirt or something.
Intrigued Mommy
Northern California, residential, July 2009 Summer
Cicada Nymph
Dear Intrigued Mommy,
After spending several years underground, this Cicada Nymph has dug its way to the surface. It will molt and become a winged adult.
¶ Posted 15 July 2009 § ‡ ° flying insect
July 14, 2009
can you please identify this insect for me? Its wings click when it moves – it was having a problem flying when I photographed it. The picture tells the best story
don’t understand what you mean? if you mean my name, then Iris
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Cicada
Cicada (Ed. Note: Sometimes we just email a brief answer without posting a letter and photo. This happens for various reasons, but lack of time is often a decisive factor. Iris’ response below prompted us to go back into the trash to find her letter so we could post it.)
Dear Daniel
I searched for information on the Cicada on the internet and after seeing this wonderful video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjLiWy2nT7U I shall never take these creatures for granted. They are a magnificent.
thanks again
Iris Churcher
Hi again Iris,
You should know that your species of Cicada is not the same as the Magicicada in the video. Those 17 Year Locusts, as they are erroneously termed, are a phenomenon of nature, but your Cicada is no less wondrous. Cicadas from Australia are believed to be the loudest insects in the world.
¶ Posted 15 July 2009 § ‡ ° funny looking moth like bug
July 14, 2009
I was at my cousins house in Tenn., and the next day there was a green moth like bug on my Dads truck tire. My Cousin said it was a locust, but it didn’t look like any locust I ever seen, after a while thay shed there body and legs and return into the ground as a worm like form again, I think..
What ever way is good for you.
Church Hill Tennessee, near Hewkins Tenn.
freshly metamorphosed Cicada
Dear What ever,
This is a newly metamorphosed Cicada. Some people refer to Cicadas as Locusts, but that is not taxonomically correct. The winged adult does not return to the ground as a worm, but the cast off skin is from the nymph that matures underground.
¶ Posted 14 July 2009 § ‡ ° HUGE FLY LIKE BEETLE THING
Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 12:20 PM
This disgusting bug was up on the top of my roof (2 story). It was making a really loud noise that sounds like electricity. I used the hose on it and it fell to the grass. From far away I could see the grass moving. I continued to hose it. Then I dropped a toy on top of it and heard a crunch. I then got my camera!
Angela in West Richland, WA
West Richland, WA
Cicada
Hi Angela,
You have probably mortally wounded a harmless Cicada, an insect that produces one of the definitive, iconic sounds of summer. Cicadas are considered to be the loudest insects in the world. We especially like your likening the sound to electricity, like a Tesla Coil, though we do not at all condone your actions after you heard the Cicada calling to a potential mate from your roof.
Giant, Screaming…Fly? Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 1:58 AM
I snapped these pics of what I assumed was a (giant) dead fly. It is approximately the length of a Bic lighter (a technical measurement here in Georgia). Later in the evening, when I went to take better photos, we found it stuck to the bottom of the door frame. When I tried to sweep it off, I could see its little legs grabbing the door frame and realized it was alive.
I started to close the back door, and when the fly ended up between the door and the threshold, it let out a LOUD, long scream. We finally pushed the door shut, and every time we got close to the not so little guy, who was now flying around the house, it would start screaming again. We decided it was suffering and snuffed it out…but what in the world was it? Its underside was a bright yellow, almost like a glowing lightning bug. Googling giant screaming fly hasn’t gotten me very far. Thanks–
J. Campbell
Athens, GA
Cicada
Hi J.,
Your Giant Screaming Fly is actually a Cicada. We are not certain what species of Cicada you have though. Certain Cicadas are considered to be the loudest insects. The scream is actually used by the male Cicada to attract a mate.
¶ Posted 30 June 2009 § ‡ ° 
rss
I like This
