My Story

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My Story

WHY CICADAS DO YOU ASK?

Answer: I've been infatuated with the cicada since I was a young boy. I've always remembered the long hot summers where their songs continued at the height of the day despite the high temperatures. My first recollection of the cicada was at approximately the age of 5 when I discovered an empty shell on the side of my neighbor's tree. When I plucked the shell from the trunk, it crumbled into dust. I was puzzled at the time.

In second grade, my school teacher gave us a class project late in September to go out and gather insects for show and tell. One of the insects listed was the cicada. I was more into art and line drawings than hunting for bugs at this age. We had a small school library where I noticed some excellent line drawings in a book entitled "The Cicada;" the author; Ross E. Hutchins. I took the book out mainly for the pictures and since it was easy reading... I read it! From that point on, I just had to see a cicada and thus, it BEGINS........

Late in October the same year, I found a dead Tibicen clinging to a leaf that had fallen to the sidewalk. Excited, I tried to pick it up and the cicada's body fell to pieces. I was very disappointed and had to wait until the following summer before I finally was able to catch a living specimen.

It was late July when the cicadas began to sing again. I was very excited and eager to hunt. I would climb into my neighbor's trees where the cicadas were singing and I would wait. I watched very patiently while the male cicada chirped without giving me much notice. The male cicada would strike a few notes and move a little. The cicada would then strike a few more notes and move a little more. The cicada inched closer and closer very slowly until it was finally in my range. Then POW! I caught the male with my bare hand and boy, the cicada didn't like it one bit! The cicada gave off a loud nonstop screeching sound that attracted the attention of my neighbors. I climbed down from the tree with my prize and took it to show my mother. I was a very happy young lad. I later let the cicada go and the hunt for more continued the rest of that summer and every summer thereafter.

would catch many more by my bare hands by simply climbing the trees and waiting. Every summer, the cicadas would come and I would be waiting. It would be a long time before I finally got to see an actual 17 year Magicicada. But the Tibicens held me over until then... Everyone has their humble beginnings. This is my story... Then and NOW.... My destiny?!


	Great Lakes Cicada Page \| home Introducing the Cicada \| Life Cycle \| 1999 Brood V Account \| My Journeys \| Magicicada Galleries \| Magicicada Gallery 2 \| Magicicada Nymphs \| Chimneys & Emergence Holes \| Magicicada Emergence \| Magicicada Emergence 2 \| Magicicadas Feeding \| Magicicada Mating \| Magicicada Ovipositing \| Eggs & Egg Damage \| Cicada Mortality \| Brood Maps \| Tibicen Galleries \| Tibicen Gallery 2 \| Tibicen Nymphs \| Tibicen Emergence \| Tibicen Emergence 2 \| Tibicen Feeding & Ovipositing \| Okanagana Galleries \| Field Guide \| How to Find \| Deterrence \| Armed Robbery??? \| My Story \| About Me \| Cicada Links \| The Future My Story WHY CICADAS DO YOU ASK? Answer: I've been infatuated with the cicada since I was a young boy. I've always remembered the long hot summers where their songs continued at the height of the day despite the high temperatures. My first recollection of the cicada was at approximately the age of 5 when I discovered an empty shell on the side of my neighbor's tree. When I plucked the shell from the trunk, it crumbled into dust. I was puzzled at the time. In second grade, my school teacher gave us a class project late in September to go out and gather insects for show and tell. One of the insects listed was the cicada. I was more into art and line drawings than hunting for bugs at this age. We had a small school library where I noticed some excellent line drawings in a book entitled "The Cicada;" the author; Ross E. Hutchins. I took the book out mainly for the pictures and since it was easy reading... I read it! From that point on, I just had to see a cicada and thus, it BEGINS........ Late in October the same year, I found a dead Tibicen clinging to a leaf that had fallen to the sidewalk. Excited, I tried to pick it up and the cicada's body fell to pieces. I was very disappointed and had to wait until the following summer before I finally was able to catch a living specimen. It was late July when the cicadas began to sing again. I was very excited and eager to hunt. I would climb into my neighbor's trees where the cicadas were singing and I would wait. I watched very patiently while the male cicada chirped without giving me much notice. The male cicada would strike a few notes and move a little. The cicada would then strike a few more notes and move a little more. The cicada inched closer and closer very slowly until it was finally in my range. Then POW! I caught the male with my bare hand and boy, the cicada didn't like it one bit! The cicada gave off a loud nonstop screeching sound that attracted the attention of my neighbors. I climbed down from the tree with my prize and took it to show my mother. I was a very happy young lad. I later let the cicada go and the hunt for more continued the rest of that summer and every summer thereafter. would catch many more by my bare hands by simply climbing the trees and waiting. Every summer, the cicadas would come and I would be waiting. It would be a long time before I finally got to see an actual 17 year Magicicada. But the Tibicens held me over until then... Everyone has their humble beginnings. This is my story... Then and NOW.... My destiny?!