Walt vs Cicada

Yesterday I witnessed a fight to the death.  Happily, one of the combatants was already on the verge of death when the battle began. 

Wait.  Happily?  It was probably not all that happy for the Cicada.



The fight began as Walt and I were walking down the sidewalk, as we are on most weekdays around noon.  Walter and I have a working relationship.  I come over to Walter's house while his daddy is at work and we take a walk.

Mid and late summer here in southern Michigan is often hot.  It seems like the sidewalks glow with a  hostile power this time of year.  Mid and late summer is also a time when one notices Cicadas dropping well, like flies.  Lots of times these death throeing insects do it right there on the sidewalk.  Once the Cicada hits the sidewalk he is pretty much out of energy.  His life force nearly spent, he gasps desperately to retain the remnants of his vigor as the concrete steams beneath him. When threatened, he cannot fly away.  However, he can manage a strange buzzing sound that vibrates his body, causing it to zip around.  

This is just what happened on that fateful Thursday, otherwise known as yesterday.  Walt felt compelled to pursue the zipping bug.  He got his lips on it but recoiled at the weird vibration.  That didn't stop him, he went back for another go,  gingerly pushing his nose on the now motionless Cicada.  Another bzzz another zip.  The bug was moving slowly, but managed to slip himself into the cover of some ornamental grass.  Now Walt could not reach the Cicada.  He glanced up at me. The bug was valiantly struggling to dig himself in between two shoots of grass.  I am loathe to admit this, but I bent down and parted the grass, giving Walt another shot at his ever weakening opponent.

Walt thrust his face in the grass, grasped the Cicada in his mouth and bit down.  He backed away from the clump of grass and dropped his vanquished foe onto the sidewalk. 

The Cicada moved no more.  I waited, certain that Walter would eat the Cicada.  Surely, a macho guy like Walt has some sort of warrior code that requires him to consume the flesh of his enemy to possess the enemy's strength -or something.  Failing romantic heroic reasons,  I thought at the very least Walt would eat the bug because he could. 

He didn't.   Walt and I continued with our walk.  The defeated Cicada lay on the hot sidewalk.

 

**Walter is a pseudonym.  This pugnacious terrier has been fooling folks for years with a soft and fuzzy persona.  I will keep his secret.

***we at Pets and Other Critters lack the technological ability to alter photographs to hide ones identity....remarkably an "artist" happened by and agreed to render a drawing to help bring the action to life.  Cool, huh?  It's almost like those court scene drawings you see on the news!

!!!!! Coming Soon! Fun Facts about Cicadas!!!!!!