![]() ![]() We associate it with the hot, humid “dog days” of July and August.Īnnual cicadas emerge from the ground (where they have been feeding off of the sap of trees through the trees’ roots for two to four years) every year as nymphs. High up in trees most males are vibrating their abdominal tymbals (drum-like organs) in order to woo female cicadas with their “song.” Thanks to an abdomen that is relatively hollow, the sound is intensified, and very audible to human ears as a high-pitched whining drone, somewhat resembling a buzz saw. Search along brick walls, bushes, fences, and tree trunks.Dog-day Cicadas Emerging, Courting, Mating and Laying EggsĪdult annual cicadas, including the pictured Dog-day Cicadas, have emerged from their subterranean dwellings. Shake off the natural instinct to run from all things creepy and head outside just after dusk (in DFW between 9:00 – 10:00 p.m.). Here’s what you will need: flashlight, cup, stick (if you don’t want to touch them with your hands), and clear, breathable container with something for the cicada to climb on (it needs to hang in order to safely emerge from the shell). (Okay, I told you, we are cicada obsessed around here. Various species of cicada actually only emerge every 13-17 years! Here in North Texas we see them every year, but they are actually on a three-year cycle, meaning the ones you see on your house are adults that have lived under your yard for three years. A quick online search can tell you when you can expect the next wave of cicadas to emerge. North Texas is only one of the many places cicadas can be found. Now, each summer in late July/early August, we wait anxiously for the first shell to appear signaling cicada season has arrived. We painted the shells (a gold or purple cicada discovered under a pillow is a little less disturbing than the brown earthy tones.) We started turning in extra specimens to the Nature Traders at the Fort Worth Zoo. “Rupert” got a new home inside an old iPhone box. Sometimes, as adults, we have to make the choice between our own comfort and our children’s desire to explore so I got creative. I began finding newly adopted cicadas and the dozens of collected shells in her bed, in dresser drawers, purses, shoes. “Rupert” the cicada went everywhere with her. She found a dead cicada outside and immediately adopted it. Then, my sweet princess, who would melt at the sight of a sugar ant, took her love for cicadas to new heights - specifically, into my home. She was conquering her fears and finding joy in creation! What could go wrong!? I loved watching her delight in learning. Every morning we collected the shells that had been emptied the night before. We listened to cicadas from around the world, amazed at the variety. We learned about their diets, their habitat, their songs. Google became a hot commodity as we scoured the web for information. If we were lucky enough to find one still in its shell, we took it inside and watched the transformation with baited breath. with flashlights and scan the brick walls for newly emerged cicadas. We were obsessed.Įach night we would go out around 9:00 p.m. When my oldest and I set out on our Dog Day adventure, it brought me back to my own childhood. I would sleep on her screened-in porch and wonder at the invisible cacophony of this muggy world. In that moment of discovery, she and I fell in love with the most unlikely of suitors: the Dog Day Cicada.Īs a child, I remember rolling into North Texas to visit my grandma for the first time. Beady insect eyes showed depth and facets, and I watched awe spread over my daughter as she stared into them. ![]() ![]() Don’t get me wrong: The new one was just as creepy as the original, but it was jewel toned with golden threads woven around it. Sure enough, within a few hours the back opened up and a new life emerged. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |