The Cidada Nymph
What has really made me marvel at the wonder of life is being lucky enough to observe the metamorphosis of a Cicada, a truly life changing experience (for the Cicada). At this time of year there are many venturing forth into the big wide world and leaving behind their subterranean stage of life. I managed to create some Timelapse Photography by taking a couple of hundred shots over an hour capturing the Cicada nymphal instar clinging to the bark of a tree as it molted. (See Video Below) I got as far as the reclined stage when failing light prevented me from going any further. They come out just before sunset and the whole transformation takes about 4 hours. Once the creature has almost shed its skin there is a period of stasis whilst the wings form which eventually give the strength for the final push out of the old shell.
Old Cicada Husks Shed After A Molt
There are roughly 2,500 species of Cicada around the world living in temperate to tropical climates. Ever wondered what that high pitched clicking is in tropical climes? Well that's the Cicada song. And they're a noisy bunch when they get going but I guess they would be as that's their mating call and they only have a couple of weeks to mate before they pass over to the other side after anything from 5 to 17 years living underground! The Cicada that has the 17 year lifecycle is the North American Magicicada.
Almost Airborne
Cicadas survive underground for the most part of their lives at depths ranging from 1 to 8ft where in the subterranean supermarket they feed on plant or tree root juice.When they finally break free of their subterranean shackles, surface and molt (shed their skin) they have but limited time to survive. Once they have the strength in their wings they have to find a suitable tree and nestle amongst the safety of the canopy cover avoiding the preyful eyes of birds and start their mating call. Squirrels are also prone to prey on Cicadas so to are the clever Woodpeckers we have around the forest here. At sunset they go from tree to tree checking each one quite thoroughly for the young fresh meaty Cicada that has already molted.
Cicada With Hold Skin
Now the Cicada mating call is quite a sound and its hardly surprising that their is a sense of urgency to it, after all they only have a week or two to mate before they die hence those frantic calls are an elaborate ploy to attract the opposite sex. After mating the female lays her eggs within the bark of a tree or on a branch afterwhich they will hatch and the newborn will return to the earth, burrowing back underground where again it will spend the majority of its life.
And lastly the Timelapse Video.
