The misunderstood dog-day cicada

This insect is often mistakenly called a locust. A locust is a kind of migratory grasshopper that appears in some parts of the world in great numbers and eats farm crops. Cicadas are a different kind of insect entirely. They are not known to eat plants in their adult stage of life. In the larvae stage the cicada stays underground where it feeds upon tender roots.

Cicadas pose no threat to humans. They don't bite and they can't sting. But their summertime noise can sometimes be mind-numbing. The cicada I have photographed here was near the Mississippi River. It is called a dog-day cicada. It will appear each summer in southern Missouri July through September. According to the Mobugs website, there are several kinds of dog-day cicadas as well as more kinds of cicadas that are known as periodical cicadas. Periodical cicadas take longer to reach adulthood, are smaller than dog-day cicadas, and appear once en mass every several years creating a deafening noise in forested areas.

By itself the dog-day cicada is Missouri's largest and loudest insect. It sounds something like a miniature chain saw buzzing away in top of a tree. When cicadas are plentiful, animals including foxes, cats, skunks, cardinals, snakes, bass and catfish will eat them.

Through the Woods is a weekly nature photo column by Aaron Horrell. Find this column at semissourian.com to order a reprint of the photo. Find more work by Aaron at The Painted Wren Gallery.