Introducing Cicada

Hi everyone, here is our favourite visitator over the hols. Some call this a Xmas beetle. They pop out of the ground over Xmas and make one hell of a noise. They all start chirping at once and after a while stop, like all together.

Here is a pic of a dead one found on our front verandah. The coin is our 20C piece about the same as your 2/- or 10p I think. This is a baby, they can get a fair bit bigger.

Here is another look at the little beauty, talk about what aliens from other planets look, just have a look in your garden. And, finally a shot for the family album, only a face a mother could love.

What a gorgeous smile, happy little chappy ain't he. These little critters can, in a group, start chirping to produce a noise level of about 120dB. This is a bit less than a jet liner at take-off from 100 feet. It is almost at the threshhold of pain in the ears.

So there we are, hope you don't have nightmares.

Bye for now from Bob.

Nuritional value: Forget it!!!