Cicada

[RockOne]

G'Day All.
This is the shell of a Cicada, abandoned after moulting. These insects are a part of the Australian summer, and can be heard "singing" during the day. EOS300D + Kit Lens.

[tommykjensen]

Well done, so the kit lens is capable of producing great photos.

[RockOne]

Thanks Tommy
so the kit lens is capable of producing great photos

Its a great lens for the price..beats my 28-80 and 75-300 easily. Most (all?) of the poor photos I've produced with it are my fault :-) :-) !

[Reigh Higgins]

Nice shot. we have cicada in the summer as well,you can tell how hot it is by the length of the buzz.

[RockOne]

Thanks Reigh. Didn't know they were in Canada..this forum really is educational :-). As to the length of the buzz, it's usually constant here - all day (and sometimes into the night) :-)...so its usually hot/very hot in summer (42 a few days this year...celcius that is, usually mostly between 30-35 though)

[NJDrew]

Thanks Reigh. Didn't know they were in Canada..this forum really is educational :-). As to the length of the buzz, it's usually constant here - all day (and sometimes into the night) :-)...so its usually hot/very hot in summer (42 a few days this year...celcius that is, usually mostly between 30-35 though)

We have them here in Jersey also. Usually only here and there, but about 2 years ago we had so many the sound was almost deafening. Nice shot.

[Fer]

I´m not sure if we have them in Mexico... We can have all kinds of weather. Nice shot.

[RockOne]

Thanks for the comments.
sound was almost deafening
Sometimes they get like that...if it happens at 5AM you know its going to be a very hot day !

Fer, if you have them I think you'll know whent hey are about....they are pretty loud :-)

[Scottes]

Nice shot. I'm definitely impressed that this is the kit lens - good job!

[TammieO]

Cool shot. We have them in Arizona also. I've seen (and heard) the adult, but haven't seen the shell (until now).

[sparker1]

Nice shot. When I lived in NJ, I thought the cicadas were on a 17 year cycle. They were present only one year while I was there.

[marie]

that's a great shot Rock

[RockOne]

Thanks Scottes

Thanks TammieO - Don't remember ever seeing a live adult one around here, they generally stick to the tops of trees, but I've seen a few adults, and these shells are quite common - but they must come out of them at night I think.

Thanks Sparker1 - My book on aussie insects says that they can spend several years underground before coming out, and I've heard the 17 years cyckle also about plague locusts. They are around here very summer though, so possibly different life-cycles !

Thanks Marie

[RockOne]

Don't remember ever seeing a live adult one around here

I seen one today :-), but didn't have my camera with me :-( !!.

[Moppie]

I can hear one singing right now, probobly perched on the deck.

Its a very nice photo of the shell, did you move it at all?
Its not often you find them in easy to photograph places.

[RockOne]

Thanks Moppie
The shell was clinging to a frond on a staghorn fern. I didn't touch it at all - looked far to fragile :-). Looks like this one has a spiders web attached to it too.

The last ones I found were in roughly the same place but on a piece of wood, and didn't stand out nearly so well. Might have to keep an eye out on the place at night - see if I can get one emerging (next summer :-) )

They're singing here as well...:-)