Friday, May 16, 2008

It's An Invasion!!!!!!

It's time for the invasion of the 17 year locust in our area! You know, the UGLY red eyed things that make lots of noise and can't fly very well! Two days ago, my youngest son came running to me with a hat full of the nasty skins they shed saying, "Look Mom! There must be thousands of them!" Eeewww, was all I could say!!!!! We went out to look at our trees in the front yard, there were hundreds of the skins all over them!


This bug tried to fly away, but ended up crashing to the ground about 3 feet away! No wonder the local animals eat them! When they are done shedding their old skin, they dry off and crawl up into the trees, and lay their eggs in the tree branches! Sometime later this summer, after the eggs hatch, those babies will chew through the branches and they will fall to the ground! Then the larva will leave the branch and dig into the ground where they will live for the next 17 years until it's time for them to reproduce!













This one is coming out of it's shell! Looks like a creepy monster you'd see in a horror movie! LOL!



4 comments:

Tracy said...

hi there! would you mind if I put a link to your blog on mine? You can let me know via comment-
http://entertainingangels-etsy.blogspot.com/

thanks, Tracy

Rosebud Collection said...

I have to admit..I don't like the looks of them..You did a good job getting pictures..

Heart's Desire Beading Company said...

I'm with you rosebud, they look gross, but they do serve a purpose as a natural tree trimmer! LOL!

babyhoot. said...

eew, I don't know if I'd leave the house if we had locusts invading. I bet your son (just like mine would) thinks it's pretty cool! just don't bring 'em in the house, right?!

Elegantly yours.....