Cicada Nymphs Digging in the Dirt
New video from Roy Troutman in Ohio.
Here is a video I shot in my basement tonight of one of my captive nymphs (septendecim female) excavating it’s tunnel. I have 3 makeshift nymph burrows sandwiched between 2 panes of Plexiglas. This video is sped up about 250%. There is about 20 minutes of footage but 30 seconds is enough to show what it was doing.
Hi Roy -
That’s a great video, very interesting to watch. We know so little about their behavior underground. How did you get the nymphs established in those setups? How long have they been in there?
Dave Marshall
Univ, of CT
Comment by Dave Marshall — April 23, 2008 @ 10:11 am
Hello Dave,
Those are artificial “burrows” made by pressing a 1/2″ dowel into 1/2″ deep soil making a U shape in the soil (the top of the U being the viewing end). The length of the dowel is 8″. This is all sandwiched between 2 14″x10″ panes of plexiglass. I have observed all 3 nymphs packing mud into the crevice between where the dirt ends & where the plexiglass starts “sealing” air out. One nymph has totally sealed his tunnel off & I viewed him turn around in the tunnel & dig out soil from the base of the burrow to use for construction. The nymphs also harvest soil by scraping their front femur & tibia from side to side like little shovels & placing the collected mud on their clypeus. They then hold the collected dirt with the forelegs & with midlegs back against the back of the tunnel & hindlegs to the front. I want to try a shorter dowl that makes a sealed opening at the top instead of the bottom forcing the nymph to dig his way to the surface.
Thanks for the compliment!
Roy
Comment by Roy Troutman — April 23, 2008 @ 11:16 am
Hi Roy -
Thanks for the details — they are very interesting.
I wonder what two of them would do if they found themselves together in one tunnel…
Dave
Comment by Dave Marshall — April 24, 2008 @ 7:55 am
I have a few weeks before the emergence starts so I may build another setup with a vertical closed tunnel & a horizontal closed tunnel. I will try adding 2 nymphs to a 3rd tunnel for experimental purposes. On a side note I have also been keeping the soil moist in the first set to keep the dirt workable for the nymphs. I have also observed the nymphs from above looking down into the tunnel & they are definitely using both entennae to navigate the tunnel. I think they are touching the sides of the tunnel to “feel” their way through it. I don’t think the antennae were making random movements.
Comment by Roy Troutman — April 24, 2008 @ 10:53 am