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Please help ID this strange Moth-like insect???

17 years ago

Hi all...while poking around the garden yesterday, I found this strange insect hiding under a Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower) leaf. It had emerged from some sort of shell, which was also nearby under another leaf. I don't have a clue what this could be.

Thanks for your help.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

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Comments (6)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
Moth-like? Hmmmmmmm

You have one of the several kinds of cicada. Can't help with narrowing it down any further than that without a geographical location. Though it doesn't matter, really, what species it is.

Cicada spend most of their life in the soil, emerging only to mate and deposit eggs. The males fill our summers with their loud buzzzzzzzzzzzzing sounds.
terrene
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for the ID. Obviously I don't know much about insects, if I thought this one was moth-like? LOL

I live in Massachusetts, btw. I've heard the buzzing sounds, but I don't think I've ever seen a cicada up close!
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Does it look like a gold ladybug? I can't really tell from the picture. Does it look like this? http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/jauwaert/Beetle_0007.jpg ha ha just a joke. does your perp look like this? you have to scroll down to find the gold beetle. According to the website, its called Metriona bicolor (Chrysomelidae). I bought a potato vine just because I saw one of these on it. I was amazed how pretty it was. It look just like a living gold beetle like Joan Rivers sells on her show. -- Only its tiny and alive! The girl at the store told me I could spray the vine to get rid of them but in fact I wanted to attract them so thats why I bought the vine. Haven't seen any though. I certainly would not want as many as you got.
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amy_z6_swpa
17 years ago
Yes that is a cicada. I would think it's a Dogday Cicada, because I only know of two eastern species and the other is the Periodical Cicada with red eyes & red & black coloration.
malorn
17 years ago
Hi...I'm in MA too and I found a great cicada the other day.. Here is a link to the MA state cicada web site and if you send him the pic..he usually can tell you exactly what it is..I recommend sending it anyway as I think he keeps tracks of sightings!

Here is a link that might be useful: Massachusetts cicada site
Day_By_Day
17 years ago
I'd say nice catch. I've never been able to get close to them. They always fly off.
terrene
Original Author
17 years ago
Well, I think this one had just molted because its shell was only a few inches away. I figured it was drying off or something before it would be ready to fly away.

Malorn - thanks for the link, I went ahead and emailed the pictures to that website.

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