Finding Shade

Summer has come to our part of the world.  It is more moderate than many places but with added humidity the heat index frequently exceeds 100 degrees.  What's interesting is that in the mornings when the temperature is more moderate the humidity is higher and it is often more uncomfortable then than in the afternoons when the heat reaches its peak.

The heat drives people and animals to shade.  People seek air conditioning inside while animals find deep shade and typically sleep.  Lower levels of activity generate less heat and allows their bodies to dissipate that which is a result of simply being warm-blooded and alive.

You will see livestock in the shade of trees or standing in the ponds during the heat.  As long as they have adequate forage, they will be up and eating during the early hours and again in the late hours just before sunset.  If they are eating during peak heat, it is a sign that they are having to hunt for adequate feed or that they are of a breed type that has high heat tolerance.  Typically, Brahman, or Brahman-influenced cattle have higher heat tolerance.

After sweating profusely the other morning, we sought shade to sit and cool down before coming in for lunch.  We have a seating area in a shaded spot beneath a couple of large Red Oak trees that we often will occupy while listening to the birds and enjoying being outdoors.  Maybe it was a sign of some kind that a large, Red-spotted Emperor Butterfly (Limentis arthemis arizonensis) kept lighting on one of the chairs. I hated to disturb him but perhaps he was only pointing out that I should be sitting in the shade rather than sweating out in the sunshine.

 There Be Dragons

As one who enjoys Science Fiction and Fantasy, I have encountered many dragons in my reading.  Sometimes they are described as being friendly, but most are more like Smaug, the dragon in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.  They are greedy, deceitful and extremely dangerous.

I think that describe some people as well -- many of whom become elected officials.

There is another type of dragon that sometimes finds its way into books.  It is the dragonfly.  I am especially reminded of the Ornithopters used on Arrakis (Dune) in the movie adaptation of the book Dune, written by Frank Herbert.   The propulsion system makes them appear like dragonflies with beating wings -- a little like a helicopter but with the rotors replaced by beating wings.  I can't imagine the difficulties of maintaining such a system -- especially in an extreme desert environment such as Arrakis.

I think dragonflies are among the most interesting of insects.  Although they are predatory, they don't bite or sting humans and their aerial maneuvers are impressive.  Read the Wikipedia entry here.  It is long but worth the effort.

In Old England they were considered evil, hence the name Dragonfly.  The word dragon is associated with the devil and fly as well, flying insect.  They are featured in many native American cultures such as the Navajo who linked them with pure water.  Recently, utilizing drone-like technology, flying optical transmitters have mimicked dragonflies.

Below is a photo of a Common Whitetail Dragonfly (Plathemis lydia), also known as a Long-tailed Skimmer which landed on our front porch for a rest yesterday evening.  Most of them I see have a solid white tail.

 Rumblings of Peace

The sky is rumbling this morning.  It is the rumbling that accompanies a gentle rain.  It is peaceful, unlike the violent crashing of a thunderstorm.

The announcement was made last night that the terms of a general peace agreement with Iran have been reached.  An official memorandum is to be signed on Friday in Geneva which will begin a 60-day period in which the details of a comprehensive agreement are to be worked out.

I am skeptical that it will hold.

As with all such agreements there is discontent by many.  In time discontent begins to fester into resentment and finally to action.  Shared common interests are the only way to real peace.  All parties must have the same goals in mind along with an agreed approach to how they are to be achieved.

At the end of the day, it is self-interest that drives behavior.  I don't believe we are at a point where there is common self-interest.

Is true and lasting peace achievable?  Again, I am skeptical.  There is insufficient commonality of beliefs for that to occur.  There is an unwillingness to share power and control.

Perhaps economic incentives can be structured in such a way that peace will be maintained for a period, but in the end, core beliefs will continue to be a well of discontentment.  Pockets of fervent believers who think they have "been wronged" will stir trouble until we again find ourselves in crisis.

This week's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a small beginning.  There will be fortunes made from the impact it has on the markets.  Other fortunes will be made when the agreement is broken.

The small Plant Hopper pictured below is only about 1/4 inch in length.  This one is identified as Ormenoides venusta.  It is not known to be an economically damaging species and is often found feeding on wild grapevines.  Not a lot is known about it, but it obviously fills a niche in the environment that is important or it wouldn't exist.  It is a tiny thing but I'm skeptical about the "not known to be economically damaging" aspect of its description.

 Seeing Patterns

George Bernard Shaw said, "If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience."

I believe there are those who learn from history and with that knowledge are able to re-shape the cyclical turn slightly from what would occur if uninfluenced by that knowledge.  It is as though they are able to nudge the pendulum just enough to change its monotonous passage through space and time.  They change the course of the future.

I also believe there are some who change the pattern while oblivious to the repetitive nature of events through time.  They are inspired to do something that sends ripples through the pattern -- a wobble in the spinning top -- that changes the course into the future.  The actions might be small, or they might be of a larger nature.  The key is that they are actions.

It would be easy at this point to sermonize on the consequences of our actions.  That is, as the British might say, a "sticky wicket."  A simple and glaring example is that Israel likely would not exist today had it not been for the acts of Hitler.  Where is the morality in that?  His actions certainly had consequences, but they were not what he intended nor was the result brought about in the way most people would have preferred.

Yes, our actions have consequences, but we don't always know if they will be good or bad.

Patterns of history are one thing, but patterns exist all around us in many forms.  I think it is instructive to note that they create a mathematical symphony of symmetry.  The Four-spotted Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla quadriguttata) is actually a wasp.  It has a distinct pattern that makes it easily identifiable.  The one below was wandering near our firepit a few weeks ago.

 Making Sense

There is so much in this world that doesn't make sense.  Most of it involves human behavior.  I'm sure that if I understood all of the factors that went into shaping a person's worldview I might begin to understand, but such is impossible for man.  We just have to accept that people are each wired differently -- both from their genetic makeup as well as their life experiences.

Even the concept that what one perceives as strange behavior seems perfectly natural to another is difficult to comprehend.  Our life experiences, education, and the influence of friends strongly biases us to see behaviors that are not common to our like-minded friends, family and acquaintances that we find those "strange" behaviors difficult to understand.

The opposite side of that is for one to become so used to odd behaviors that they begin to accept them as completely natural and common.  The danger in doing so is that truly dangerous behaviors are allowed to go unchecked.  Those who fall into this category see those of the previous category as being bigoted, racists and worse.  When this occurs, they become guilty of the very thing they condemn.

I must admit that I am a little biased against anything that looks like a wasp.  I have been stung more than once, and the experience is not pleasant.  Yesterday I found Black-and-yellow Mud Daubers (Sceliphron caementarium)  on one of the Jalapeno Pepper plants.  My first inclination was to find the wasp spray.  I decided I didn't want to spray them while on the pepper plant because I didn't want to possibly consume the chemical.  Instead, I became intrigued by their behavior and took their photograph.

I believe there are three of the Mud Daubers in the picture.  I don't know for certain what they were doing but after reading some about them I suspect they were searching for food -- either tiny insects or possibly nectar from the flowers.  I think it likely they were providing a beneficial service.  I don't really know enough to know what I don't know in this case -- just like in the case of some human behavior.

 Under Attack

Sometimes the best sign that you are accomplishing something worthwhile is the increased level of resistance that you face.  To put it into a Christian perspective, why would the devil attack if you aren't doing anything?

We have transitioned from a beautiful Spring to a sultry early Summer.  We still have the humidity of Spring but have added the heat of Summer.  The result is oppressive.  With abundant moisture the plants are growing rapidly and the need to pare back the growth is constant.  You can practically see the grass grow.

With Summer comes a transition in the types of flowers we see.  It also means an increase in the number of insects that tend to swarm any living thing.  Black-eyed Susans and Sunflowers are now becoming the dominant flowers seen across the pastures and roadsides.  If you look closely at them however, you see myriad small six-legged creatures seeking to make meals of them.  Those bugs then become meals for birds and on and on.

Growth comes with setbacks and attacks.  Just like in nature, it happens in our personal lives.  As we grow, new challenges seek to set us back.  The key is to keep on shining like the Black-eyed Susan pictured below.

 What's in a Name?

Camel Crickets are of the family Rhaphidophoridae.  Looks to me like the name says they are fast -- and they can be if you are trying to catch them for fish bait.  I grew up calling them "Sand Crickets" although that is commonly associated with "Jerusalem Crickets" which are something entirely different.

Regional differences, ignorance, folklore and other "fuzzy logic" sometimes causes confusion when it comes to naming things.  My dad, who was exceptionally intelligent, had names for things which didn't coincide with what the books said.  My grandfather on the other side of the family was the same way.  Dad grew up in southwestern Oklahoma whereas my grandfather was from Central Missouri.  Their early years formed much of their thinking and nomenclature on certain things.

That is a small piece of what causes differences in our views of what should be, what is and what was.  We may speak the same words but mean totally different things.  Unless we take the time to understand those differences which arise from varying experiences and education, we exacerbate the tendency to believe someone else is wrong and we are right.  It could be we are both thinking similarly but using different words to describe our thoughts.

We all need to spend more time seeking understanding and less time proving someone else doesn't know what they are talking about.

 Designed Fit

Have you ever noticed that pollinator species tend to choose specific flowers?  I am certainly no expert on the subject, yet it seems to me that species such as Hummingbirds, Bees and Butterflies are very discriminatory in the flowers they choose to land on.

We have different types of flowers, most of which are either native species, or closely related to native species, in our flower beds.  The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds like the Texas Lantana right now, but we know from past observations that they will go to the Texas Sage equally when they are in bloom.  However, they seem to ignore the Gaillardia and the Coneflowers.  Likewise, we see certain species of butterflies that prefer the opposite and still others that only visit other species of flowers which are in the meadow.

Design is important.  I'm referring to the specific shape, size and function of various body parts of these creatures.  The long beak of the Hummingbird is well-suited to reaching into trumpet-shaped flowers whereas the butterflies appear to be more suited to flowers that don't require reaching into a deep well to access the food supply.

Everything we see or build is designed with a specific use in mind.  Whether it be a rocking chair on the front porch or a military aircraft, design is based on use and functionality.

Why do humans sometimes think they should ignore their own design and attempt to be what they are not?  It puzzles me.  It's their choice, but still, it puzzles me.  We don't see that in nature.

Below is a Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) perched on a domesticated Gaillardia.  Their caterpillar stage is especially fond of oak trees of which we have many.

 In Disguise

There are many who claim that during the Cold War, the Soviet Union placed "sleeper agents" among U.S. citizens that were able to blend in and appear completely non-threatening to the general population and who were unidentifiable by government agencies.  Their role was to blend in, hidden, until needed for some type of covert, or overt action against the country.  They quietly lived what appeared to be a normal life until or unless, activated.

It was the ultimate disguise.  Your best friend might be a foreign agent, and you would never know it.

Some might claim the same is happening today although the powers behind such actions are different.  Your next-door neighbor might not be as benign as they appear.

I have no desire to stir up fear, merely to create an illustration of behavior that was developed by mimicking behaviors that are common in nature.  The cuckoo lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, so it doesn't have to rear the young.  Other behaviors are more overtly parasitic in nature where one species lives directly off of another.

Dasymutilla bioculata, in the photograph below, is commonly known as a Velvet Ant.  This one was passing near our fire pit the other night and I was able to take the picture.  Velvet Ants are actually a parasitic wasp.  Notice that its coloration is similar to some of the paper wasps which are common here.  They lay their eggs inside the cocoons of other wasps.  Upon hatching they frequently kill their hosts.  Their stings are extremely painful.

 Homemade

Do you ever think about how we learned to do so many things?  I spent some time the other day researching how to make paper.  It stemmed from reading a book in which one of the characters made their own paper and ink to draw and illustrate plants.  I will likely attempt it at some point, but it looks like a lot of work.

I wonder if early paper was conceived by watching wasps build their nests.  There are over 1100 species of paper wasps around the world, so it is quite possible that primitive man sought to reproduce the material that comprised wasp nests.

Rock, wood and vellum (animal skin or membrane) were likely the first writing or drawing surfaces for primitive artists and calligraphers.  Around 3,000 BC the Egyptians developed a process of making paper from the papyrus plant.  It was commonly used for thousands of years until replaced by thinner, smoother sheets made from milled plant and wood fibers in a process thought to have been developed in the Han Dynasty of early China around 20-220 AD.  Because it provided a better writing surface it spread westward and became widely adopted by the Islamic world by the 8th Century.  It was another 300 years before it spread to Europe where it replaced the use of animal skins.

Papermaking continues to improve even today with the addition of plastics as well as more advanced fiber processing.  Adding a wax coating to paper allows its use for drinking cups or straws that are completely biodegradable, unlike plastic based coatings.

Paper wasps construct their nests with fibers pulled from dead wood and other dried, fibrous plant material.  The fibers are chewed and mixed with saliva before being pasted into the familiar umbrella-shaped nests filled with chambers for raising the next generation.

The wasp in the photo is stripping wood fiber from some oak firewood.

 Preconceptions

As we sat on the patio yesterday during a break from our yardwork, I noticed what I thought was a beetle land on one of the tomato plants.  I watched him a moment then decided to take his picture to see if I could identify what he was.  He was rather unique looking, but I feared he would start munching on the leaves and if that was the case he would find his life span shortened significantly.

It was identified by iNaturalist as a Black Firefly (Lucidota atra).  That gave me pause because fireflies are supposed to fly at night -- hence the name.  It turns out this particular species is diurnal (likes the daylight).  It preys on soft-bodied invertebrates such as snails and slugs.  That makes him one of the good guys.

I have to admit that I judged him prematurely.  I thought he was there to attack the tomatoes, and I was prepared to take immediate action.  We do that about a lot of things -- prejudge.  It is because our crazy minds are wired to defend against things we have been conditioned to see as potential danger.  These preconceptions can be useful but can also cause behavior that is harmful.  That Firefly was a beneficial that would have fallen to my preconceptions had I not paused to learn a little more about it.

One of the things that sets humans apart from animals is the ability to override the wiring in our DNA and use reason.  That ability to reason opens doors of understanding.  This world needs a lot more understanding.

 Aggressive Home Invaders

Yesterday was tree trimming day around our place.  We have several large Sweetgum trees that needed some shaping up.  One of them contained a birdhouse which I had not seen any birds approach.

We've only been here since mid-January and things like the undesirable branches and the birdhouse were left by our predecessor for the new owners to handle.  There are a couple of other birdhouses, one of which was featured in a previous post with a nest of baby Eastern Bluebirds in it.  No birds would come near the birdhouse hanging in the Sweetgum tree.

I decided that since the birds didn't like the birdhouse in question, I would remove it from its prominent place.  After trimming limbs which had grown near it, I unhooked it from its perch and let it drop to the ground.  I quickly found out why the birds avoided it as a number of red paper wasps came boiling out of it in search of something to blame for their short drop and abrupt stop.

After batting the most persistent of them away with my sweaty cap, they learned to keep their distance from me but continued to remain in the neighborhood.  Wasp stings are not something I desire and when younger, would react somewhat severely to them.  Needless to say, I was wary of the tiny, winged warriors as I completed my task of trimming the tree.

In recent years there have been numerous stories of home invaders in the news.  I find it disturbing that someone would think it is an acceptable thing to do.  As I think about it though, I realize it is simply animal behavior.

In nature it is not uncommon for animals to occupy burrows created by other animals (think Rattlesnake in a Prairie Dog hole).  Animals will slip into a temporarily unoccupied den and then defend it by force.  In this world of increasingly animal-like behavior by humans I suppose it was only a matter of time that such things as home invasion and adverse occupation would occur.

Below are a couple of photos of the birdhouse in question.  The first shows the entire house while in the second you can see the dislodged Paper Wasp nest resting on the bottom.

 Adaptability

Most of us adapt in some form or another to the environment in which we live.  If you are single, you form habits and idiosyncrasies that reflect a lifestyle of filling time the way you would choose without worrying about what someone else might need or desire.  Likewise, if married or some other form of joint living arrangement, you adapt to accommodate the needs of others.

The same occurs in the work environment.  Company culture is important and over time employees find ways to fit into that culture or they leave.

We are adaptable creatures.

Adaptability is crucial in nature.  Plants, animals and insects find ways to adapt to the environment and sometimes develop specialized adaptations that cause them to appear strange.  We sometimes wonder why the giraffe has such a long neck until we learn that they browse on the highest leaves of trees where the shoots are tender.  Mosquitos are a creature that we all love to hate yet their specially adapted proboscis allows them to feed on the blood of mammals.  Moths have long tongues that enable them to reach nectar deep within a flower.  The list is as long as there are varieties of species.

Yesterday I came across an Eastern leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus) on one of the thistles growing at the edge of our property.  I almost missed him thinking it was a small piece of plant debris perched on the fading flower of the thistle.  As I looked more closely, I could see the white line across its back as well as the strange, leaf-shaped growths on the rear legs.  I couldn't imagine the purpose of that particular shape, so I turned to Google for answers as usual.  It is speculated that they aid in battle over females.  I suppose it could be reminiscent of a Klingon battle axe and might be used as both a shield and a weapon.  

The bug is not one to encourage because it causes damage to plants and is resistant to pesticides.  They are destructive to many food plants including fruit trees and vegetables.  I thought it was very photogenic though.

 Flashy Visitor

Many of the winged visitors to our small acreage are migratory.  They stop briefly for a meal and a drink and maybe rest a few days before continuing on their journey north or south depending on the season.  Others are somewhat permanent and spend much of the year in the area.

A couple of days ago my attention was drawn to a very small visitor, but I don't know if he was a permanent resident or just passing through.  I did some research on him to see if I might determine what he did and whether he was a productive member of society but could find very little information that might shed light other than he was attracted to Passionflowers.  To my knowledge, we don't have such on our place.

You may have heard of Passionfruit and perhaps even tried some.  It seems there are around 550 species in the genus, and they are scattered around the world.  They are known primarily for their beautiful flowers.  It is possible we have some Passion vines on our place, but as of now, I don't know.  The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center indicates that Passion vines are found in Texas, so I suspect we have some.

 The tiny visitor to which I am referring is the Passionflower Flea Beetle (Disonycha discoidea).  He's a flashy little critter but I had never seen one before that I recall.  I suspect he can consume a large quantity of leaf for such a small size.

Natural Inspiration and Technology

We have been covered up with Horseflies this summer.  This photo is of one that was sitting on a gate latch a couple of days ago.  He sat there and let me take a number of pictures -- almost as if he was posing for me.  This is a Tabanus sulcifrons.  They are common in the eastern half of the U.S.  In actual size it was about 1 1/4" long.

I had never really looked at the detail on a Horsefly until I took this photograph.  The eyes, especially, are intriguing.  It looks like it's wearing expensive Sun shades.  It was either too full and fat to fly, or just "cool" enough to think it was invincible when I was taking the pictures.  I let it live because it was such a good subject.  Normally, that wouldn't be the case.  They literally torture the cattle with their bites which are a prime vector for disease.

Entomology was never a subject that held much interest for me.  After looking closely at this photo, though, I begin to see how it might be intriguing to some.  I wonder what the purpose of the feathery features on the front part of the body might be?  I also see what look to be horizontal flaps lying against the body, beneath the wing; what do they do?  Are they a vestigial wing?  Or, perhaps they are used to make a noise?  Maybe they are a shield that protects some vital organ?  What is the purpose of the tiny needle-like projection on the knee?

This critter stimulates my curiosity.  It also stimulates my imagination.  It doesn't look particularly aerodynamic, yet it is able to fly.  Man has developed many types of aircraft, but we don't have anything that flies or, even looks vaguely like this type of insect.  In science fiction we often see craft that fly much more like insects or, birds.  They have the ability to zip quickly across the landscape and then to drop rapidly to the surface in a "pouncing" move that appears to hover just over a target which might be an enemy that is captured by a grappling device -- much like the legs of the insect would grab prey.  Man hasn't quite mastered the air to that level.  Insects -- even ungainly appearing ones -- do it with ease.  So do birds.

I wonder if there is a way to utilize disease vectors such as the Horsefly to deliver vaccines rather than infectious agents?  When it is time to vaccinate the herd, just turn loose a handful of vaccine-laden insects that are genetically programmed to target cattle and which are unable to reproduce and have a short life.  Maybe we could do that with micro-drones?  Just think how little stress that would cause the animals.  Of course, you might lose a few drones to a swatting tail.

I wonder what other information could be gathered by such micro-drones?  Horseflies bite the animal; perhaps the drones could take blood samples and provide information about nutrition, health, gestation, etc.  I keep mentioning micro-drones because it is my understanding that a number have been developed that are designed to mimic insects.  One of the biggest issues is battery life.

If you happen to be a young, aspiring engineer, I would think a career focused on energy storage and transport would hold a bright future.  With macro projects such as the efforts to travel to Mars, or with the miniaturization of technology such as smart watches and phones, there is great need to be able to store and transport energy efficiently.

I've strayed from the Horsefly.  I suppose my point is that there is much we can learn from nature.  We need to be good stewards of it or, that tremendous reservoir of creative solutions will be lost.  Think about that.  Nature has already solved many of the challenges we face in technology.  Is our approach the correct one?

Birds, Grasshoppers and a Movie

The birds were busy late yesterday.  We spotted a large murmuration when we passed through the gate and then saw multiple flocks as we crossed the pasture.  The Common Starling, also known as the European Starling, (Sturnus vulgaris) is seen throughout North America.  I don't mind seeing them in our pastures this time of year because they are likely eating the guys in the second photograph.  This one is a Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis) that was hiding out in our wood pile while the Starlings browsed the pasture not far away.  I could be wrong about the identity of the birds.  It is also possible these are some other kind of black bird.  They were far enough away that it was difficult to tell.

Yesterday, someone asked me if all the photographs that I use in my posts are from our place; the answer is "yes" for the most part, except for the few that were taken during travels elsewhere.  The main point is that either my wife or, I take the photos.  I try to use only those that one of us has taken rather than to "borrow" one from the Internet.  I do believe that Copyrights should be respected.

In a random aside, we watched the movie "Tolkien" last night.  I highly recommend it to any fan of that great author.  It was inspiring and provided great insight into his writing.

Well, today's post is short.  I have much to do and need to get moving.  I must go feed cattle and then have a breakfast meeting scheduled.  I hope anyone reading this has a great Saturday and may your favorite college football team be victorious.

Close Encounter

I almost ran into these guys yesterday as I was walking along the edge of a wash in our pasture late yesterday afternoon.  Because of the light at different angles, it looks like two different nests, but it is actually the same one.  It was hanging on a branch about face high to me and I was looking at cattle rather than worrying about what I might run into.  If it wasn't for the buzzing, either the thorns on that branch or, the wasps were going to take a toll.  Fortunately, though my hearing isn't what it once was, it was adequate for the occasion and I avoided the hazard.

When I was a kid, every wasp was a yellow jacket.  They looked very much like these and that's the name I was taught.  I am learning there are a lot of different kinds of wasps.  These are a type of Paper Wasp, probably Polistes exclamans or, P. apachus.  Paper Wasps are very common throughout Texas.  True Yellow Jackets are a bit larger and thicker bodied with a distinct black and yellow pattern.  Growing up, I didn't know the difference, just that their sting caused a reaction that seriously affected me and the afflicted area would swell.  I learned to avoid them.

Wasp nests are an amazing feat of construction.  Each chamber will hold a developing wasp behind the thin door which, when fully grown, will emerge.  They bring to mind the Pueblos of the American Southwest.  I wonder if the early Puebloans got the idea of their construction techniques from wasps?  It wouldn't surprise me.  We can learn much from nature if we just pay attention.

Noisy Neighbors

I have always been fascinated with cicadas.  They are noisy.  You find their shells everywhere during the summer.  Kids are either "freaked out" by them or want to let them crawl on them.

Years ago in the small town in which I grew up we lived only a couple of blocks from the city park -- notice I said the city park because there was only one.  Between our house and the park were open lots across which we could look and see the small lake there.  I frequently wanted to go fishing in it since it had been stocked with channel catfish.

In our back yard we had a very large weeping willow tree and in the evening cicadas would come out of the ground in their nymph form.  I would go out with a coffee can and catch as many as I could and keep them overnight in the can.  The next morning they would be my bait.  For some reason, keeping them in the dark in the coffee can kept them from hatching out of their shells.  The catfish loved them.

I always assumed a cicada was just a cicada, but I didn't know anything about them except that they made good bait in their nymph form.  This morning I looked them up on the Internet and learned there are over 3,000 species of cicada.  They all have a similar life cycle in which they spend the majority of it underground in the nymph stage.  Some species usually spend only a year living in the earth but, others as long as 17 years.  If you want to read about them the link is here.

Can you imagine someone spending their life studying cicadas?  How in the world can you tell the difference between the different species?  "Hmmm....this one has 4 spots and a red mark, it must be a new species...."  I'm just happy to know that it is a cicada and not a locust as some call them.  A locust is actually a type of short-horned grasshopper that has a swarming phase.   I'm thankful we don't have locust swarms here.  I bet they make good bait though.