Subject: Insect living in dead tree
Location: Pennsylvannia
March 15, 2016 12:19 am
Hello my name is Jeancesar and I came across this bug I found inside a dead tree, I found the bug quite odd and decided to take a photo, I live in PA and I could not find this bug anywhere in the index for insect commonly found in Pennsylvannia and out of the 310 around this area none were the bug I took a photo of. It has a body like a bumble bee, 4 legs, small oval wings and what I think seems to be claws or pincers of some kind as arms if I’m not mistaking. Now I did not catch a live one but it was a dead insect and what the photo shows is its remains the exoskeleton. I’ve been wondering for months now what it is if you could please help with identifying this bug it would be much appreciated,
Sincerely,
Signature: Jeancesar
Dear Jeancesar,
This is the Exuvia or cast off exoskeleton of a Cicada. Immature Cicadas live underground where they feed by sucking nutrients from the roots of trees and shrubs. When they are nearing maturity, they dig to the surface and molt, leaving behind the exoskeleton after the winged adult Cicada flies away.