Cicada

Description:

A series of snaps of the Cicada Mating ritual. The first pic shows a single insect which was making a lot of noise- a male. In the second pic a female landed right above him and he went next to her. And the pics in succession show the ritual. Cicada (family Cicadidae), is a group of sound-producing insects (order Homoptera) that have two pairs of membranous wings, prominent compound eyes, and three simple eyes (ocelli). Cicadas are medium to large in size. Male cicadas produce loud noises by vibrating membranes (timbals) near the base of the abdomen. About 1,500 species of cicadas are known. Cicadas have been used in folk medicines, as religious and monetary symbols, and as an important source of food. Their song once was considered to forecast weather changes. In China, male cicadas were caged for their song. The cicada appears in the mythology, literature, and music of many cultures, including that of American Indians. Cicadas can cause damage to several cultivated crops, shrubs, and trees, mainly in the form of scarring left on tree branches while the females lay their eggs deep in branches. Many people around the world regularly eat cicadas.

Habitat:

Seen near flowering gardens.

Notes:

Reference: wikipedia and britannica