One and one eighth to two inches. Body
is black with yellow stripes. Dusky wings. Red eyes.
Range:
Throughout North America
Habitat:
Forest edges and city parks
Food:
Adult drinks nectar, larvae feeds on adult
cicadas.
Lifecycle:
Complete metamorphosis-4 stages
Winter Survival:
As a nymph
Lifespan:
1 year
Adaptations:
Front legs adapted to dig. Hind legs adapted
for kicking out dirt.
Sleep Cycle:
Diurnal
Niche:
Predator
Role to Humans:
Beneficial
Population:
Common
Interesting Facts:
Unknown
Sources:
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Insects and Spiders, A Golden Guide to Insects
Expressive Drawing and Poem
Scientific Drawing
Cicada Killer
My life starts off on a cicada in an egg. My home is my burrow.
It is hard to get out of my egg, but I manage.
Now I'm the larva and I'm hungry so I feed on the helpless cicada.
Oh, now I'm big and fat. I'm ready for my long sleep. I'm in my
resting stage called a pupa. There is a "Do Not Desturb" sign
on top of my burrow. When I awake, O will be an adult. The snow's
weight made my burrow cave in but I survive. I've rested for 203
days.
Now that it is mid-summer, I've become an adult. I dig my way
out of the cave-in. I let blood pump into my wings. I fly away
in search of my mate. Along the way I meet my friend Sophia, the
Tarantula Hawk Wasp. We talk a bit. Now I'm back in search of
my mate.
Along the way, I also meet up with the cicada king warrior. I
challenge him to a duel. He accepts the duel. I win by paralyzing
him.
I dig a hole and put the cicada king into the hole. I forgot to
mention that it was my mate who took out the king, dug the hole
and put the king in there and laid our eggs on the paralyzed king.
