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Cicada pee-ing


Cicada pee-ing
Photo Information
Copyright: JeanMarie Mouveroux (Nephrotome2) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 529 W: 70 N: 517] (1838)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-10-25
Categories: Insects
Camera: Olympus C770 UZ, no lens, (digital), No Filter
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Insects in Israel [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-17 4:14
Viewed: 1501
Points: 12
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Tibicen Cicada

Pee-ing action: look at the pee horizontally on the left side. See details in posted workshop.

CICADAS:
Cicadas have a stylus-type protuberance used for piercing small twigs in trees and bushes to withdraw Xylem to obtain water, minerals and limited carbohydrates.
Defense mechanisms: Flying off or playing dead.
The nymph lives under ground. The molt takes one hour.
Funny to know:
When handling a Cicada, it sometimes can mistake its handler for a branch and attempt to feed on you. It doesn't usually draw blood.
Interesting to know:
Cicadas have 5 eyes. Two large compound eyes that are situated on stalks on either side of the head and 3 ocelli that are centered in a triangle in the middle of the head.

THE PIC:
I took many pics of that guy. He was so little shy that I could even scratch his back. I suddently notice the pee-ing action. The stair one meter away from him was all wet. Then I noticed that pee-ing would occur during 2 seconds and evey 40 seconds. And I realised that I would get the opportunity to photograph that! Unfortunately the group was waiting for me. I could capture that pic still. I've choosen then another POV but missed 2 peeing actions because I was too late to press. Then I managed to get a second shot(see workshop): picture is less good but pee is a little more easy to spot. Then the group was really waiting and I had to go with the feeling that I could had a even better shot with more time.
I never knew before that any insect could pee.
During the whole time, the cicada never stopped drinking.

Thanks for looking
horia, scottevers7, Dave, peter_stoeckl, marhowie, nainnain has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To peter_stoeckl: Thanks for your kind wordsNephrotome2 1 11-20 08:46
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2135 W: 224 N: 3948] (13111)
  • [2006-11-17 6:08]

Another spectacualr photo, Jeanmarie!
The sharpness ia again amazing and the note is great. Also the Workshop picture are quite helpful :)
Graet work with this set of Cicada pictures!

Brave and TFS
Horia

Hi JeanMarie,
They say timing is everything. You got it perfectly here. Very sharp detail to catch this. Nice shot.
Scott

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 47 N: 674] (2171)
  • [2006-11-17 16:28]

Another great shot of this Cicada showing the whole specimen this time.

The workshop is also quite helpful. If someone did not read the note or look at the work shop they might have missed this aspect. The picture stands alone quite well without the extra bonus, but catching it in the act of taking a wiz only makes it better.

Excellent work!

Thanks,

Dave

Hello JeanMarie,
precisely observed and perfectly recorded behaviour that very few of us may ever have noticed.
Very good contribution, clear and techically flawless, good to look at, and very valuable for naturalists, too.
Instructive, well written notes, and a very interesting and well explaining workshop. Excellent work.
Thank you for sharing! With best regards,
Peter

Hello Jean,
This is a great post, for it's very good sharpness, detail, notes and workshop. Just the TN ticket :)
I don't think I've ever seen a cicadee peein' before ;-}
Very well done.

bonjour JM
réalisation parfaite, cette cigale est bien exposée, les couleurs nettes et naturelles
bravo
edith

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