What is this thing?

RobinB · June 29, 2013

Is this a horsefly? I have spotted several on my tomato plants. I've never seen them in my garden before. Good bug? Bad bug? I've seen only three in the last couple of weeks, so it's not an invasion...yet. They don't seem to be hurting the tomato plants. What should I do?

Robin

kurt · June 29, 2013

Call me crazy but it almost looks like a cicada.

RobinB · June 29, 2013

When I touch them (with the end of a bamboo pole) they fall off. I thought he would FLY off, but he hardly moved. I found another one dead on the ground with ants crawling all over it. I only found him because he was making a loud buzzing sound lying there flapping his wings. I've never heard a cicada but I don't think they live in the high desert in Nevada... do they?

fischer1611 · June 29, 2013

I would agree on Cicada. I think there is a variety that thrives in the high desert.
The damage they will do here is trying to lay their eggs in the tomato stems. But generally, its not much of an issue.

Mojave · June 29, 2013

Yep, Desert Cicada (Diceroprocta apache).

kurt · June 29, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinB

When I touch them (with the end of a bamboo pole) they fall off. I thought he would FLY off, but he hardly moved. I found another one dead on the ground with ants crawling all over it. I only found him because he was making a loud buzzing sound lying there flapping his wings. I've never heard a cicada but I don't think they live in the high desert in Nevada... do they?

http://www.ktvn.com/story/22695936/c...eard-in-nevada

RobinB · June 29, 2013

Thanks everyone. I did a little research and WOW! there are a lot of different Cicadas out there.

Will they hurt my tomato plants? Should I DO anything?

I'm glad it's not a horsefly, those guys bite!

Redbaron · June 29, 2013

Cicadas are basically harmless. You don't need to worry about anything.

June 29, 2013	#2
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,501	Call me crazy but it almost looks like a cicada. __________________ KURT

June 29, 2013	#5
Mojave Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SF Bay area Z9a Posts: 821	Yep, Desert Cicada (Diceroprocta apache). __________________ Bill _______________________________________________ When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -John Muir Believe those who seek the Truth: Doubt those who find it. -André Gide

June 29, 2013	#8
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Cicadas are basically harmless. You don't need to worry about anything. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

June 29, 2013	#3
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	When I touch them (with the end of a bamboo pole) they fall off. I thought he would FLY off, but he hardly moved. I found another one dead on the ground with ants crawling all over it. I only found him because he was making a loud buzzing sound lying there flapping his wings. I've never heard a cicada but I don't think they live in the high desert in Nevada... do they?

June 29, 2013	#4
fischer1611 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 390	I would agree on Cicada. I think there is a variety that thrives in the high desert. The damage they will do here is trying to lay their eggs in the tomato stems. But generally, its not much of an issue.