Reader Jorg Driesener sent some photos of a newly-hatched cicada (species unidentified), one of our most beautiful insects. His notes and IDs are indented.
I saw this cicada shortly after it had left its previous shell. I wish I had stumbled upon it a bit earlier, but it was not to be. As you can see, initially its wings were still wrinkled and non-functional. It had no choice but to be a willing photographic model. Over time they straightened out and hardened, and then it was flew away.
Comparing this fully adult cicada to the one that had just shed its shell, you can see how the colours get more intense with age and the markings become more dominant.
One of the loudest creatures. I assume this is the 17 year species? Very colorful.
Jorg – How long did that process take?
I was wondering that, too. Great photos!
Great photos of an interesting insect!
Very nice series. The colors are lovely. It’s hard to know the species since there are many that look very much like this one.
I can’t imagine what it’s like for an entomologist and trying to identify an insect species. I remember back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in a marine taxonomy course (which I LOVED!) and we were tasked with distinguishing isopod species from estuary samples. Holy smokes that was hard and (TBH) a bit subjective. But there are maybe 0.001% of the number of marine isopod species as there are of just beetles. egads.
Are there any AI efforts to do insect taxonomy on photos or other images?
Excellent! Can someone follow-up with the identity? I love to come across their little vacated shells.
They are lovely bugs. When we had an outbreak some years ago, our one year old doberman ran around the yard eating them off the grass. Mmmmm…good.
Edible for humans too are they not? Have you tried them?
It is very pretty 🤓
I have not and don’t intend to, but I’m sure they are very nutritious. Maybe even tasty too.
😛
😋
🤪
I’m going to miss their songs for the next seven months or so.
Thanks for the beautiful cicada photos. It’s funny how it is still holding its shredded carapace, like it somehow doesn’t want to leave it. “That used to be my home!” 🙂
Lovely work, Jorg. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Amazing shots.
As a kid growing up in Australia and NZ I used to collect the shells of these little beasties. They’re still cool – and your pics do them justice.
Cheers!
D.A., NYC
https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/06/10/photos-of-readers-93/