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Cicada Sunbathing


Cicada Sunbathing
Photo Information
Copyright: Jo Ottey (jo8) Silver Note Writer [C: 1 W: 0 N: 14] (99)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-02-13
Categories: Insects
Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ20
Exposure: f/4, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-02-15 2:48
Viewed: 1213
Points: 7
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
One of the thousands of Cicadas singing at Muriwai Beach,West Auckland.

Information from: http://www.suzy.co.nz/suzysworld/Factpage.asp?FactSheet=229

A cicada has three very different looks for the different stages of its life
First it starts off as an egg about the size of a grain of rice.
When it hatches it is a creamy white nymph (nimf) with 4 little legs and two big pincer-like ones at the front, a bit like crabs claws
When it becomes an adult cicada it looses the pincer-like legs at the front and instead has 6 little legs and four wings which are totally see through except for the veins running through them. An adult cicada’s colour depends on the type of cicada it is – they’re usually green or black or brown.

Nymph is the name given to baby insects
Cicada eggs are laid in the bark of trees by the female cicada.
When the nymph hatches out of the egg it drops out of the tree and onto the ground. It uses its big front claws to tunnel into the ground where it stays for up to 17 years for some species of cicada!
Underground the cicada eats the sap from tree roots using its rostrum which is like two straws in one. It spits saliva down one straw onto the tree root to break it down and then uses the other straw to suck up the root juices. Charming!

Adult cicadas don't seem to eat much.
The noise that an adult cicada makes is made by the male (go figure)and is his way of attracting a girlfriend.
It's pretty tricky to tell the difference between male and female cicadas but the female has a sharper, pointy "bottom" than the males because she has an ovipositor for laying eggs with.

We have over 20 different species of cicada in New Zealand. Different parts of New Zealand only have certain types. The type of cicada in my back yard might be different from the type of cicada in your back yard. Adult cicadas are only found in the summer months too. They leave their underground tunnels as the days get longer and warmer in search of partner.
Janice, red45, Andrieux, coasties, LordPotty has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2005-02-15 4:26]

Good macro of the Cicado Jo. It is nice to hear them (the males) singing again, and to see the dry remains of them on the trees. I have found the notes very interesting, especially with NZ having 20 different species. Well done and thank you for sharing...

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-02-15 4:55]

You, Newzealanders are lucky to have got such insects! When we were on Crimea last summer, there were hundreds of Cicadas chanting every night. I love its sound - it remains me hot, sunny summer!

Very nice Macro.

In Portuguese (Brazil) Cicada is "Cigarra"...

In my house in Brazil, sometimes is hard to sleep, wen they are singin

Hi Jo

Good macro. The clarity of the wings is superb. Very good detail. Good work. Look forward to more. TFS.

  • Good 
  • naki Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 382 W: 27 N: 5] (40)
  • [2005-02-15 13:48]

Hi Jo, I think it can be sharper than this. I've been using fz-10 and getting better results. Maybe using a tripod may help.

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