I had the most extraordinary experience yesterday morning. It had rained the night before and I decided to go outside with my camera to photograph some water drops on my plants. But what awaited me was far more interesting. There were hundreds of 17 year cicadas (magicicada) in my garden. Some had just emerged from their exoskeletons, others were in the midst of emerging. Everywhere my eyes rested, there they were. As I looked even more closely, I could see exoskeletons attached the underside of leaves. Finding them was rather like playing a game of Where’s the Cicada?
Amazing.
They emerge from the exoskeleton and slowly move around, while the wings inflate with fluid and their new skin hardens. It takes a while until they finally use their wings.
You can see three exoskeletons in this photo and two cicadas, one is to the right of the poppy.
This one was still in his exoskeleton. I mistakenly removed him from a plant and when I saw him walking, I realized he was still in there! So I grabbed a stick and he attached himself to it and then I transferred him back to one of the plants.
They were everywhere – even on my newly opened poppies.
I was so lucky to see this. It’s all in the timing. And in the camera.
I observed them for quite a while, then I went back in the house. Within a couple of hours, they were gone, leaving the exoskeletons behind. I gently removed them from the plants (that’s when I mistakenly removed the one that was still in his exoskeleton) and it was as if they were never there.
When the nymphs, having lived underground for 17 years, emerge, they construct an exit tunnel. I saw a distinct hole in my garden soil that I’m pretty sure was the tunnel. I’ll be careful not to disturb it. Now, they will mate and plant their eggs in a tree limb and die.
Nature is extraordinary. Little miracles happen every day.
My favorite flower is about ready to bloom. Glorious peonies, I can’t wait to see you. But then again, I can. Because once you bloom, you won’t be around for very long.
I was recently interviewed by Linda Huffman, who publishes an online magazine for women called Women Encouraged or “We” Magazine. If you want to read the interview, click here and then click on the Market Place page (in the column on the left.) Linda, thanks so much for the opportunity and for such great questions!
Happy Friday.
We have them too although different years. The last one here was in 2007, I think. Literally hundreds on one plant! Their buzzing is so loud that after being out for a bit, which is a challenge, you go in and your ears ring. You can’t hear for a minute or so! Incredible!
They really are incredible!
The peony bush in my neighbors yard ( “grandma berti’ who is my sisters MIL ) is blooming now, along with a rose bush and her iris. HOT pink peony, RED roses, and PURPLE iris….its a beautiful combo! :)
My poppies are blooming next to my catmint so I get a purple and orange-red combination that I love.
Isn’t that cicada cycle simply amazing! And I’m kinda glad we don’t have them here. :-)
Can’t wait to see the peony in full bloom!
Well, in 17 years I’ll be quite a bit older and might not even be living in an area where this sort of thing happens. So I’m glad I’m getting to experience it.
Claudia, I just can’t help it, those things creep me out. They are scary looking. Their song isn’t pretty to me. I don’t think anything eats them but dogs and cats. Hope you are enjoying time in your gardens. xoxo,Susie
They don’t scare me. They’re rather gentle.
FASCINATING! Do you know how the eggs go from eggs in a tree to underground? Thank-You for the science lesson, Loved it! -Judy A-
I think they develop into a sort of larvae and then drop to the ground where they burrow underground and live for however many years that particular kind of cicada lives under the earth, then they come out through a hole and voila!
Great post. I’ve been looking for cicadas in my yard but haven’t seen one. I’m in the northwest corner of Connecticut. You’ll get to hear them soon. I think it is just absolutely amazing they have been underground for 17 years!
Me too, Mary! I’m getting rather fond of them!
Yuck… we have those here too. But, it’s not our year. Good luck getting through the summer. Just think the next time will not be for another 17. Are they just not the nastiest things? And do they make a awful noise too?
Actually, I don’t mind them at all! The eyes are strange but they are rather beautiful to me. The noise is supposed to start soon.
I don’t like them at all and wish they would never come back
That’s too bad – I rather like them!
Forgot to ask– what does Scout think of the cicadas? A cat I had years ago used to catch them and try to bring them in! During the last go around neither my cat or dog seemed to notice much.
Scout hasn’t noticed them yet – maybe they haven’t turned up in the dog corral.
Wow! I am so glad you shared this. I have known about it, but never seen photos.
Isn’t the whole thing rather fascinating?
Fantastic interview sister, you are a star!
Hugs to you,
Mere
Thanks, sister! xo
Read your interview on ME! Good job! The kids always loved picking those skeletons off of the trees. We have a clump of river birch in the front yard and they are all over that rough bark.
So glad you are home.
Judy
I sort of love picking the skeletons off trees, Judy!
We had a huge cicada outbreak 4 years ago that was massive. Literally billions all over the town and so loud you could barely hear yourself think. I never saw anything like it. My dauschund likes to eat the dead ones. Ick.
The noise must have been deafening, Kim!
What serendipity for you to be there at just the right moment to witness this miracle of nature! I’m so glad you had your camera so you could share it with those of us that don’t have cicadas.
Thank you so much, Cindy.
17 yr cicadas do not visit here so your pictures are interesting…I love peonies soon and mine will open in mid June.
I’m so glad that you posted pictures, blogging photos are so much better then a dry web site photo. Since we don’t have these kind of bugs it’s great to have a visual in my mind now of how they look,.
Jen