For the past several weeks cicadas singing have been a constant background noise at Kandos. Apparently when cicada nymphs emerge from the ground they climb the nearest tree and shed their nymph exoskeleton. Once they get rid of their old skin their wings inflate and they fly off. I spotted these exoskeletons on the branch of the walnut tree.
I haven't noticed many cicadas around this year in our neighbourhood.
ReplyDeleteI can only remember them being about at Burnbrae a few times. They were extremely noisy so I was glad they only lasted a couple of weeks. None there this year. At Kandos they have been going on for quite a few weeks and still at it today - fortunately not too noisy. I don’t remember hearing them here last year but I could be wrong.
DeleteFantastic image. How lovely to have a walnut tree in your garden.
ReplyDeleteYes it is wonderful to have the walnut tree. It is huge and a lovely shade tree. There are two other smaller ones too but I think they need another 30 years or so to be as wonderful as this one.
DeleteHow fascinating Joan Elizabeth. I quite like the sound of cicadas. Don't they say when the cicadas sing it means rain is coming.. I could be wrong 😀
ReplyDeleteI haven’t heard that. And they seem to sing in very hot dry places😀
DeleteThey do look quite alien.
ReplyDeleteThey do. We are being invaded!
DeleteGreat capture. It's fascinating how they can shed their exoskeleton so intact, isn't it? If it were me, there'd be bits of exoskeleton all over the place. :)
ReplyDeleteHa ha. Me too. My exoskeleton of clothes are all over the bedroom.
DeleteSo those exoskeletons are completely empty? That's really interesting. We're serenaded more by frogs than insects here.
ReplyDeleteYes completely empty. Frogs seranade us at Burnbrae because they live in the fish ponds. More of a bop bop than singing though.
DeleteThey look like aliens! Wow, nature is something! Do they fall off, are they eaten by others?
ReplyDeleteI think the just hang around until the weather beats them down. I am not sure if the exoskeletons are appetising for any other creatures. The cicadas themselves live a very short life after they fly away and mate. I have seen dead ones here and there and birds with them in their beaks.
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