Dog-Day Cicada Up Close
August means sweltering hot temperatures, high humidity, and the buzzing sound of insects everywhere. And our personal favorite insect sound is the serenade of the Dog Day Cicadas in the woods behind our house.
Ever since the last emergence of the Brood X 17-Year Periodical Cicadas in 2004, Alex has been simply enthralled with them! When I told him that they would not return for another 17 years, he nearly cried! But he was relieved when he learned that the Dog-Day Cicadas visit us yearly. However, he complains that they are a lot harder to catch than the numerous Periodical Cicadas.
Alex loves catching the cicadas, it has become a challenge he has put forth for himself, even hanging a graph on the wall where he keeps track of the amount he catches! Before this morning, his cicada catching tally was at 6 for this summer, but on our Nature walk today he didn’t have any trouble at all catching his seventh. He found him laying on the ground and it didn’t fly away. Upon a quick inspection he announced that it had a damaged wing. It was true, the poor thing was unable to fly. We came to the conclusion that it could have been a bird that had injured him. Alex was so sweet, he just kept saying, “Oh, poor little guy.”
We took this opportunity to study and observe him well. And Alex was kind enough to give us a little information about his cicada in this video. Before you watch it, I must explain the ending a bit. Along with the cicadas, we’ve also been having lots of other buzzing insects flying around our back yard, including some really large horsefly looking ones, that will buzz right by your face. Alex, oddly enough is terrified of these things and runs to the house at the sight/sound of them! So prepare to giggle too! Also, take note of the amazing cicada sound in the background!
We know he is a male by the round eardrums located towards the bottom of his abdomen.
After having this up close view of one today, it inspired Alex is do a Nature journal entry on the life cycle of the cicada. His new cicada friend stayed right near him the whole time.
Also, we were fortunate enough to find a cicada nymph shell on the ground. Do you see the slit where the cicada emerged from?
Alex doesn’t really like to read, unless of course it’s about something he’s very interested in…like….cicadas!
Here are two excellent books that have great information about cicadas. We especially recommend Cicada Sing-Song, by Densey Clyne. Alex has worn this book out reading it! This book gave me a whole new appreciation for these odd-looking, BUT fascinating creatures.
Here are some great websites:
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