Cicada Mortality, Nymphs and Other Insects

Cicada Mortality, Nymphs and Other Insects

1:00 pm - It's a real hot and humid day today. Too hot to stay inside so I head to St. Patrick Cemetery. Even though it's late I am hopeful.

I go to the Oak tree where I discovered a nymph around this same time of day a few days ago. I see a partially emerged Cicada that looks like it is having problems. It looks like it is not positioned at enough of an angle at the base of the tree to emerge properly. Another possibility is that it may be stuck inside its nymph shell because it is unable to free its wing buds. This isn't the first time I have seen this happen though from this angle it looks like both wing buds are stuck whereas in the past I've only seen one wing stuck.

I decide to leave it and check other areas. I also like to photograph other insects sometimes. Especially if I can note some unusual behavior.

The second image from the left below is of two different species of flies that seem to be locked in a struggle. The more dominant black fly is what's known as a predatory Robber Fly. It has pinned the smaller fly and is sucking the life juices from it. It looked like the Robber Fly was slamming the smaller fly against the head stone when I snapped this picture. (second thumbnail from the top)

The image of the wasp is stinging this caterpillar larva which it will then carry off to lay eggs on. The hatched wasp larvae will then eat the caterpillar. I was only able to snap one picture because the wasp flew off rather quickly when I got close. (third thumbnail from the left)

I discover a nymph crawling up the side of a head stone. I take this specimen. I search some of my favorite areas to see if I can find other Cicadas but I find none.

Lately, I have been looking at low-hanging dead branches in the hopes of spotting female Cicadas ovipositing. I even closely inspect areas of these branches that contain dead leaves hoping to find the tell-tale sign of slits indicating that eggs have been deposited. So far nothing.

Admittedly, I am now expecting to find dead Cicadas on the ground as the Cicada season is getting on a bit but I ham finding none.

T. lyricen is still singing in the trees but I have yet to find a specimen so I think that the season may be over for them and what remains in the trees will soon be dying off.

I decide to head back to the Oak tree that has the stuck Cicada. I am sorry to report that some black ants have gotten to it and have started to eat it while it's still alive. It seems interesting that they start with the two big compound eyes first.

The remaining thumbnails are of the nymph that I obtained on the headstone molting. It ended up being yet another female.