I did some birding along the lakefront in Milwaukee this morning and after getting a couple glimpses of Yellow-crowned Night Herons I ran into Derek. We did some bird talking and as we did that, we noticed a Cicada, sometimes called a Dogday Harvestfly or Dogday Cicada, Tibicen canicularis, coming out of a nymph that was attached to Darek C’s backpack of all places. The skin splits on the nymph and the Cicada drops out. An amazing event watching this all take place over a period of time. It is said these nymphs live in the ground and whenever they come out, for whatever reason this event takes place. The Cicada can live from 2-4 weeks. After the Cicada leaves the nymph, it hangs there just like a butterfly out of the cocoon and drys off and things start happening with this creature. It made its way from the backpack, to a small branch, onto a leaf, then onto a log. It is amazing what is going on around us. Images from this event were taken on August 7, 2016.
The nymph skin splits and the adult Cicada slowly pushes out. Here it is hanging on the back of the backpack.
Cicada, sometimes called Dogday Harvestfly or Dogday Cicada
Binomial name: Tibicen canicularis
Category: Annual Cicada
Size: 1″-1.25″ inches in length
Cool fact: The male Cicada makes the loud and complex sounds to attract females for mating.
Hanging out drying and letting fluids move through the system
Hanging out drying and letting fluids move through the system
Hanging out drying and letting fluids move through the system
Moving away from the nymph
Onto a old leaf…
Onto a log…
End view
When I left, it was just resting and probably waiting for time to pass to get out flying
