Really gross looking bug! *Warning Its Disgusting*

[Sylverfly]

So I found this bug in a tree by my garden today, Never saw one like this before, anyone know what it is. Its about the size of my thumb. It was "wet" because it had just emerged from a brown dried up beetle looking shell/exoskeleton (thing on the branch) I assume it was its former body but maybe it ate out the inside of that bug, either way its pretty sick. Here are a few pics of the alien looking critter.

 

[Gryphon]

Aww you found a cicada! They're the goobers way up high in trees that make that super loud noise in the summer. (as kids we called them "heat bugs", in the theory that the louder/more of them singing the hotter the next day was going to be). They don't bite or sting. I know of an artist that uses their wings (once they die at the end of the season) for fairy wings. If you have chickens I'm sure they'd eat it up given the chance.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

This is a cicada, do you really have them way up there in northern Michigan?? They are EVERYWHERE in the south, my kids love to collect their sheds (a little ick for me). The chickens LOVE them- they eat the bugs and the shells, fight over them like nothing else! In the evening and all summer long when it's muggy they sit way up high in the trees and "sing" a CONSTANT high pitched sound- look it up online, you'll be glad you don't have to listen to it all summer long!

 

[Sylverfly]

interesting, its the first time I have ever seen one. I wonder if we have them this year because its been so dry and hot here? I'm really glad to hear that they don't bite or sting they look terrifying. I was calling it a hammerhead mantis beetle, guess I had the name wrong, lol.

 

[Gryphon]

Cicadas live everywhere except Antarctica. I bet the dry weather is having something to do with how visible they are this year, not only are leaves not covering them up like they normally would, but they have to dig out of the ground and that's probably exhausting with it being so hard and dry.

I rather enjoy their singing, although it can get overwhelming during a brood year. (some types of cicada stay underground for 4 years, others 14 years, and they ALL come out at once.)

 

[locke2121]

Yep...practically a Southern tradition down here...setting outside in the afternoon drinking ice tea and listening to the ree-ree-ree-ree sound of the cicadias.

 

[chiques chicks]

And they make great bass bait, if you fish!

 

[Chick N Poo]

I hear they are tasty too. I'll never know!!! http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070522-cicadas-eat.html

 

[CTratterriers]

I've never seen a live one before only the shell/skin it sheds, very interesting. Their wings are very vibrant!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I love cicadas! I have never seen one with bright green wings though