Okaaayyy, it is clear Meredee knows a lot more about Cicadidae than I do.

'Course, it doesn't necessarily take a lot of knowledge to top mine. But after her correct identification of yesterday's mystery GrousePic, I felt obliged to do a little internet research.

Near as I can tell, this critter whose tail end I photographed...

is a member of the cicada genus Okanagana. (spp. O. occidentalis?).

But yeah, a cicada. Only heard a few males singing where we found this fellow, but hopefully that will pick up as the season progresses and today's snow will not have wiped most of them out.

Love cicadas.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Spoken like someone who has never had to listen to millions and millions of these things, day and night, for weeks on end. Too bad. I like 'em. Hit one of the big cyclic cohorts on a week-long stay in Missouri, and I still loved hearing them.

Just for grins, here's a shot of the other end of the little critter.