Another Cicada
Two months ago most of the Eastern United States experienced a major emergence of Periodical Cicadas. Those are the insects that only emerge from their underground homes once every 13 or 17 years. But all summer the Annual Cicadas have been emerging, too.
The biggest difference between the Periodical and Annual Cicadas, aside from the length of time they live underground maturing , is the number of cicadas that emerge at any one time. The Periodicals emerge in the thousands whereas the Annuals may only number in the hundreds or less.
Annual Cicadas have brown or black eyes instead of the red eyes of the Periodicals. Other differences can be their geographical locations and the length of the wings in relation to their bodies. Their food and calling habits and their life stages are the same for the most part.
I didn’t realize that at least one species of Annual Cicadas had emerged here in Northwestern Alabama (USA) until I found one on our back patio. It was difficult to determine exactly which species it was.
After all, there are over 3,000 different species of Cicadas that have been identified and an unknown number of ones that haven’t been identified.
The cicada that was on our patio could have been a Scissor Grinder Cicada or possibly a Robinson’s Annual Cicada. The markings on that insect resembled a Scissor Grinder Cicada except for the color of the underbelly.
If you think about it, the finding of that cicada could be compared to life. Sometimes, just when you think an issue is behind you a similar one shows up in front of you but this time there’s not as many facets to the issue, or you recognize that there’s an issue to be dealt with but cannot identify exactly what the issue is!
Be sure and share in the comment section any life experiences you have had that may compare to my discovery of yet, another summer bug!
To view today’s featured image as well as other cicada images click here.
