Giant Missouri Freak Bug!

[plutherus]

What the hell is this thing?? My cats have been chasing this thing around the apartment for a while: it looks pretty much like a standard house-fly, except for the fact that it's TWO FUCKING INCHES LONG!

Comments

[metallumai.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing it's a cicada. Is it green? And does it make a tantalising (to cats) buzzing sound?

[plutherus.livejournal.com]

Yep. About half and half black and dark green. And you're right about the buzzing. The cats, at least, seemed to love it :)
I did an google image search for cicada, and found this:
(http://www.1000plus.com/Charleston%204th/page_2.htm)

Which is just about right, except the green wasn't as bright up front, and there was more of it on the back.

So, that's a cicada, huh? I'd heard of them, but I think this is the first one I've seen.

[amritarosa.livejournal.com]

photo?
pleeeease?

[plutherus.livejournal.com]

I wish I could, but unfortunately, the battery in my camera was dead.

I did find the photo on the web above, though, which is very similar. The one in my apartment was about twice that size, though.

Do we have these in Oregon? I don't remember ever seeing one before...

[amritarosa.livejournal.com]

yep, that's a Cicada allright!
They are one of the few things I really miss from the midwest. They are loud but can't bite you.

They are great symbolds of endurance and patience in many asian cultures. They spend as many as seventeen years developing underground as larvae before emerging and flying. I have Giant Malaysian Cicada mounted, framed & on my stidio door.

I love cicadas!!!!