Tuesday, June 27, 2006

An amazing sight!





For us this was quite incredible. In Okinawa, we have this bug called a "Semi" that comes out once a year, usually in June. The female lays its eggs in the ground and when it is full grown it digs itself out of the ground (bottom left picture - the hole) and then climbs a tree, pole, wall, and latches on to the fixture (bottom right picture). Then it pulls itself out of the original carcass and becomes this big flying bug that buzzes real loud, usually all day.(upper pictures) I have never seen one coming out of its shell (like a butterfly), but last night, Joanna and Hannah were taking Erin home from our house, and when they came home they saw this and called me. It was incredible, because usually we see the carcasses of the bugs shell, but never the process of becoming the "flying semi". Well, this is a bit of Okinawan culture. When you come to the island in June and hear all the buzzin, you know that it is an Okinawan Semi.

3 comments:

George Sedota said...

Wow, when you first showed us the bug shell's last year I didn't realized that they were as BIG AS A SEMI!!!

Those things a HUGH!

God bless a remember, don't go outside without your hard hat!

bboycookie said...

reminds me of like this one cartoon episode of spider witht hese giant flying bugs.Ane it kinda looks like Mothra from godzilla

Anonymous said...

Man that thing looks ranchie!