Inspiration Avenue Weeklly Challenge: Metamorphosis

"Texas Cicada Exoskeleton"   


When I read this theme I thought to myself  "no way am I going to do this one" but then as I was walking around my backyard, I noticed this familiar little guy hanging on a Mexican Petunia and thought "oh wow this would be great for the theme metamorphosis"!
I'm not sure if these bugs are everywhere. I thought they were only in the south, but I could be wrong. They are Cicada's or locust as we call them. You know it's summer when you hear them sing. Yes they are one noisy bug! Personally I love to listen to the sound they make.It would not be summer with out that screeching sound coming out of the trees.
What you see here is the flaky exoskeleton left on everything from gutters, to trees, to bushes, to just about anything. This is a stag in the cicadas life cycle that I think is a great example of metamorphosis!


The adult comes out the top slit leaving this shell behind. 
 Oh what fun we have here! I'm constantly knocking these things off my back porch. I'm surprised I missed this one. I guess it was a good thing, or I would not have an entry. They are all but gone now since summer is winding down.  Until next summer!
Click the link above to view more entries to the challenge.

10 comments:

  1. Yes, they are here in Palm Springs too! When we were swimming one night we couldn't figure out that noise until we asked someone...Cicadas!...very noisy litter buggers and they fit your theme perfectly. Have a great weekend my friend.

    tootles,
    bunny

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  2. Oh, maybe they are everywhere! We have them every summer; we just got finished with them like you did. They are so noisy, but it's one of those noises that you just tune out and only notice when it stops. It always reminds me of very hot weather, because that's the time they are here. The cicada skeleton is PERFECT for the challenge!

    What I want to know is, where did he go? Did he spin a cocoon somewhere? Or grow a new skeleton and fly south for the winter? I never thought about it before, but they must move on to somewhere...

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  3. That sound reminds me of holidays in the sun! I've never seen one of theses skeletons though, how interesting and very well captured Charlie!

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  4. I've heard them singing, I think, but I have never seen the exoskeleton. Very cool photos and great response to the challenge.

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  5. Gorgeous photo, and you are SO right, it wouldn't be Summer without their "song" in the background. I showed my son one of the skeletons this summer, and he couldn't believe that it was the same thing that we were hearing:)

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  6. Hi Charley
    I love to hear 1000 cicada's sing in unison. They can be loud but somehow comforting.
    :-)

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  7. we have them here in Arizona-though I did not hear them in Germany ;) I have NEVER seen one this up close and personal-thanks for sharing.

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  8. I hear these little ones so loudly... even in the middle of a big city I hear them and they comfort me by making me feel that nature is not too away from me.... ;)

    Beautiful, thank you so much for your entry!

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  9. Cicadas! All over the place. I'm told that this is a great year for them. A Southern Summer would not be the same without them. Never seen a skeleton of one though. Great post.

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