Hello World! After spending somewhere between two and five years underground, this cicada sheds its hard outer covering one more time in preparation for its…
‘Tis the Season for Little Green Men
Cicadas
To paraphrase an old saying, “Behind every great male, there’s a great female.” Most folks I know would agree but, if you’d like more proof,…
Periodical Cicadas
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the air these days has a distinct buzz about it. Here we are, gradually emerging from our collective…
Cicada Parasite
I bumped into an old friend the other day as I was walking along Second Street in Geneva. It had been awhile since we’d last met, which was all the more reason, I thought, to stop and get reacquainted with—and to introduce others to–this little, and little-known, neighbor. Meet Sandalus spp., a member of an
Cicada
Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District August 23, 2013 When was the last time you saw a little green man? For me, it was last Saturday. I was walking through the Hickory Knolls savanna when something small and bright caught
Eastern Cicada Killer
1 Pam’s Perspective From the… Pam Otto is the Manager of Natural Programs and Interpretive Services for the St. Charles Park District August 10, 2012 I don’t know if there’s any other group of animals that provides as much excitement, milligram for milligram, as the Class Insecta. Think about it. Even though they’re small—the biggest
Cicadas
When was the last time you saw a little green man? For me, it was last Sunday. I was just going into the garage when something small and bright caught my eye. I looked down and there he was, all shiny and chartreuse: a freshly emerged cicada, clinging to his now-empty shell. Cicadas are reliable