Observation #333

First sound of cicadas at around 8:50 this evening. Just a short burst, then it was done. Heard it again the next night, similar burst. It was like someone turned on the cicada radio with the volume set too loud and then quickly turned it off.

Observation #4976

Tonight at 8:35 I heard my first cicada song of the summer!!!

Observation #444

Hello!  Summer's greetings! Well, almost!  This Wednesday is the Summer Solstice and the official first day of Summer!
With that, I herald my first sightings/sounds of my favorite bugs of summer.

On our walk this evening my family heard our first sounds of cicadas!  
Side note, at the beginning of our walk, my son said he hoped to see some owls.  We have never seen owls on our walk before, but at the last stretch of our walk we heard a Great Horned Owl hoot!  He/She even answered our return hoot!  Summer sounds abound!

My mom saw her first lightning bug on May 28.  I hardly go out at night at this point in my life and am usually so sleepy after finally getting the kids to bed that I don't even look outside.   So my first lightning bug sighting was about a week ago.

Cicada Summer Solstice

Yep, just heard my first cicada song of the year.

In other insect news:
I caught two caterpillars munching on my little Juneberry tree (one yesterday and one today). I put them in an old pickle jar. I will let you know the ID as soon as they emerge from their yet-to-be-made pupas. I know you all are on pins and needles. :)

Happy Summer Solstice! Enjoy the longest day! ~A

FRESH CICADA!

Just out of the shell!

Thursday Afternoon on Friday Afternoon

July 23. 2009
2:50 pm

Just witnessed a cicada killer wasp attack a cicada.
The scene started in the tree, out of my view
I heard the cicada cry and looked up to see
two bugs descending towards my lawn.
My dog, Winston, heard and saw them too. He ran
towards the insects and thwarted the cicada
killer's kill. I tried to get Winston away for fear
of him being stung by the cicada killer.
Winston won the cicada and the cicada killer
was a good sport in defeat as it rose up to where
it came from.
I tried to get a look at it but Winston didn't trust
me and gulped it in his mouth and took off in evading
circles. He didn't stop until he swallowed it whole!

Now, I will share with you a story my mom used to tell me when I was younger and just retold to me when she called just after the exciting Cicada scene.

My mom, her sister June and Jimmy Fink went exploring in the woods near their neighborhood. They took the long driveway to The People's Church, a church that always creeped my mom and aunt out, because, you know, there are Pee-ple thehre! Waa-Ah-Ah Aaaah! The driveway went past the church and the three followed it into the woods. After a little while, they came upon a Mickey and Goofy style small round trailer in the clearing. One side of it was surrounded by a tall chain-linked fence. They walked around the fence and saw bones. Then they noticed dogs chained up in little houses. The dogs began to bark. The three were thinking, these poor dogs, when a man came out of the back door and yelled, "Hey! What are you kids doing here?" The three ran as fast as they could into the woods and collapsed in the autumn leaves. They layed low and watched as the man went inside the trailer and back out again. The three could only assume that he had grabbed a gun. My mom saw the man swivel his head wildly searching for the young trespassers. She became aware of the red shirt she was wearing and feared being seen. The man started walking towards the woods where the three hid. My mom, Aunt June and Jimmy Fink jumped up and ran all the way home.