Cicadas spend most of their lives tunneling through soil. Herkimer Diamonds — doubly terminated quartz crystals — are found in the soil of Herkimner, New York. Sometimes they’re found together.
Last weekend I met a Herkimer diamond prospector Just Herks at a local rock and mineral show. She had this photo of a cicada nymph with a Herkimer diamond:
Photo © Just Herks.
She said she takes special care not to harm the cicadas she encounters while mining. The cicada looks like a cicada belonging to the genus Neotibicen, and based on what I am seeing iNaturalist, it’s probably a Neotibicen canicularis aka Dog Day cicada.
Be sure to look out for cicada nymphs while you are prospecting for rocks and minerals, gardening, digging foundations or other subterranean activities. Treat the cicadas you encounter with care.