Sorry Liangge!

It was difficult choosing between this photo and one I got of a small but bright blue dragonfly on the ground, in the pine straw. Blue Dragonfly Woodpecker Lunchbar

This is what happens when a neighbour neglects their outdoor bbq for 20 years! BBQ Tree

I forgot to mention that I often lean against the clothesline post for balance when standing outside and waiting to take pictures of the hummingbirds at the feeders. On Saturday I was out there and no bugs on the post. Sunday there was a nice cicada on the post getting ready to molt. Monday the exoskeleton was all that was left. I have a nice collection of cicada exoskeletons as they seem to like my clothes post as a molting place! The trees are full of the male cicadas singing.



I did a bit of work on Ancestry today and cleaned up a doll that belonged to my mother-in-law.

Cicadas live underground as nymphs for most of their lives, at depths ranging from about 30 centimetres (0.98 ft) down to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft). The nymphs feed on xylem sap from roots and have strong front legs for digging.
In the final nymphal instar, they construct an exit tunnel to the surface and emerge. They then molt (shed their skins) on a nearby plant for the last time and emerge as adults. The exuvia, or abandoned exoskeleton, remains, still clinging to the bark of trees.