Early summer saw the invasion of the Thirteen Year Cicadas in and around Columbia. I am remembering them now, because they left their calling cards all around the town. I didn't bother to take a picture of one then, but on the right we have a poor unfortunate insect that expired in the rear windshield of the car. (Click to enlarge any picture.)
They sang in the afternoons in a community chorus, their song rising and falling in one mighty wave of noise. I noticed that the squirrels and raccoons were not bothering the bird feeder and realized that they were happily filling up on cicadas. Then one day the cicadas' song was gone; the afternoon air was eerily quiet.
They left their calling cards, however. I began to notice dried leaves on broken twigs hanging among the luxuriant green of the trees. At first I thought it was the result of dry weather or maybe the twigs had been broken in one of our wind storms. Later I read (online) that the female cicada splits the twig with a sharp appendage and there lays her eggs. Later the twig may break. This is called 'flagging.'
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Here the many leaves can be seen on the lawn.
(Click to enlarge.) |
Soon the ground was littered with these twigs and leaves. Every time the wind blows more twigs and leaves dot the lawn. More 'flags' remain on the trees ready to fall.
The cicada nymphs tunnel into the ground and feed on the sap of tree roots for another 13 years.
One lonely cicada shell still clings to the underside of our deck step.
