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Australian Wildlife

  Red Eye Cicada (Psaltoda moerens)





Red Eye Cicada | Psaltoda moerens photo
Red Eye Cicada on a eucalypt trunk, Swifts Creek, Vic

Image by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos - GNU Free Documentation License.    (view image details)







RED EYE CICADA FACTS

Identification
The Red Eye Cicada is a black cicada with dark red eyes. Adult cicadas are shiny black above with paler underside and has lacy transparent wings with black veins. They feed by piercing the bark with their mouthparts and feeding on the tree sap. They are most often seen in summer from November to February. It is found mainly on eucalypt trees, but is also seen on introduced garden and park trees.

Other Names
Redeye

Size
wingspan up to 12 cm

Habitat
eucalypt woodland and forest

Food
feeds mainly on Eucalypt and also Angophora trees

Breeding
The female lays her eggs in the bark of a tree. When the eggs hatch the nymphs fall to the ground and burrow under the soil where they feed on tree sap. When the nymphs are mature they emerge from the soil and moult emerging as adults.

Range
Psaltoda moerens is found in south east Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and northern Tasmania.



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Hemiptera
Family:Cicadidae
Genus:Psaltoda
Species:moerens
Common Name:Red Eye Cicada