An Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis) Encounter at the Al Shawkha Trail in Ras Al Khaimah

 

An Oriental Hornet holding and chewing an insect fragment

An Oriental Hornet landing on a rocky outcrop

The large yellow band on its abdomen is characteristic to the Oriental Hornet

Getting ready to take off! You have only a few seconds to take that shot!

It was on my descent from my hike across the Al Shawkha Trail in RAK, that I got to encounter this awesome hornet. I was walking on the road side when a rapid, loud, buzzing sound passed right unto my face and landed unfazed unto a rocky outcrop. It was an Oriental Hornet holding on and chewing unto an insect fragment.

The Oriental Hornet, Vespa orientalis (VESPIDAE)

An adult Oriental Hornet is reddish-brown in color and possesses distinctive thick yellow bands on its abdomen and yellow patches on its head right between the eyes. It can measure 25 to 35 mm long. Drones (males) and workers are smaller in size as compared to the Queen. Males can be further distinguished from the female workers by the number of segments on its antennae, there are 12 segments for the female workers and 13 segments for the males. The female workers and the Queen have an ovipositor which is a specialized organ used for egg laying. This ovipositor can reach up to the tip of the abdomen and it is also used as a sting. The female sting is painful to humans. The Oriental Hornet also has a very strong jaw (mandible) and it will bite when provoked. (Be careful when you encounter any hornet and do not harassed it to avoid bites and stings).  

Distribution of the Oriental Hornet

The Oriental Hornet is the only Vespa species adapted and thriving in the desert climate conditions of North Africa, the Middle East and Southwestern Asia. It has also been reported to be present in Central Asia and in countries of Southern Europe.

Biodynamics Notes

The Oriental Hornet is a social insect which lives in seasonal colonies under a caste system dominated by a Queen. This colony thrives throughout the spring and summer until its peak during early fall. At its peak, a colony can be composed of several thousand hornets housed in 3 to 6 combs containing 600-900 individual cells. The nest is commonly located and constructed underground but the the workers can also construct paper nests in protective hollow sites like tree voids, inside container vans and abandoned vehicles. Hornet workers use the fiber they strip-off from the bark of twigs, tree branches and shrubs to construct paper nests.  

Inside the colony, the Queen is the only reproductive female. The hornet workers are her daughters and the drones her sons. The drones only serve a reproductive function. The workers are tasked with all the needed labor for the colony: foraging, building the nest, caring for the brood and defense.  All members of the colony are related to each other. Altruism is uniquely practiced by these social insects, wherein the nonreproductive members work solely for the benefit of the colony.  

The adult hornet diet is composed mainly of carbohydrates from nectar, honeydew and fruits. They hunt also for flies, yellow jackets, grasshoppers and honey bees, which they feed unto the colony's brood.    

A truly notable feature of the Oriental Hornet is their preference to be more active during the middle of the day! It has a thick active layer (cuticle) that allows them to absorb sunlight. They have built-in "solar cells" that can generate electrical energy from sunlight. Research has revealed that the yellow pigment on the hornet's body traps sunlight, while the brown colored tissues generate the electricity. This energy is probably utilized to power their strong mandibles for soil digging. A solar-powered hornet — truly awesome!

As the Oriental Hornet can bite and sting, do not harass or provoke when encountered. Avoid venturing nearby their ground nest. Only well-trained and well-protected pest management professionals (PMPs) must handle any control requirement for these hornets.    

During my encounter with the Oriental Hornet, it did not exhibit any aggressive behavior, it did not pose to attack. It was just occupied with its foraging activity in the bright sunlight which gave me the awesome opportunity to observe this awesome hornet. 

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com

An Encounter with a Pharaoh Eagle-Owl on the Maleha Mountain Trail in Sharjah

A Pharaoh-Eagle Owl hiding inside a mountain cave

The owl was tough to spot as it concealed itself under the dark chamber of the cave

A close up during our stare down before the owl swiftly flew away

The natural rock caverns of the Maleha mountain is a perfect harborage for birds

The desert wind was blowing strong, I could hear the forceful, rushing sound as it passes thru the various rock formations of the mountain trail. I was climbing and crawling my way up the rocky surface, exploring, looking carefully inside the numerous caverns and rocky outcrops, searching. As I was crawling my way up a large cavern, a pair of orange-colored eyeballs were intensely staring at me. I was face-to-face with a Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascaphalus)!  The owl emerged slowly from the cave and stared at the explorer, thankfully I was able to take a few photos before it swiftly flew out of the cave. Truly Awesome! 

I have encountered and featured the much smaller spotted owlet, Athene brama last May 8th. Having another owl encounter, this time with a much larger species is such an awesome treat! You will truly forget about the intensifying heat outdoors and continue your expeditions!  

The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascaphalus) 

The mottled plumage and the striking, large orange eyes makes the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl such an attractive bird of prey! The head and upper body plumage is marked with black and creamy white streaks and blotches. The lower body is pale-creamy white with reddish brown verniculations on the breast and abdomen. A dark-colored rim defines its face, similar to other owl species. It is equipped with a black and hooked bill. Crowning its head is a pair of small ear tufts.

Looking forward for another encounter with this awesome bird of prey native to North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. 

This feature will be a cliffhanger. I want to observe and learn more about this magnificent eagle-owl. This will require further expeditions into the mountain trail! My hiking boots and my camera needs to be ready and recharge for another awesome encounter! 

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

An Encounter with Carpenter Ants (Camponotus spp.) FORMICIDAE in Dubai PART 2

Carpenter Ant workers appearing in different sizes

Carpenter Ant workers emerging from a gap on the pavement

A steady stream of Carpenter Ants in and out for the night

Carpenter Ant workers emerging from there date palm colony entrance point

Working night shift: an Ant worker moving out of the nest to forage

Time to get busy: a worker ant snapping its mandible as it exits its date palm lair

Carpenter ant workers moving on the pavement (video courtesy of Engr. Rey L. Corpuz of Kendah)

From exit holes on the trunk of the fire trees and date palms, to the inner chambers of the control boxes of the landscaping irrigation system and along  the edges of the concrete tile pathway, we have witnessed a steady stream of Carpenter Ant workers. These insects were dedicated to a long evening of foraging. On the other hand, we were engaged in monitoring their activity and tracing the extent of the advancement of the colony.

Biodynamics Notes (Part 2)

Carpenter Ants got their name from their habit of excavating nest galleries in wood. These galleries resemble the work of termites but these can be readily distinguished by the entirely clean, smooth and almost sandpapered appearance. 

Carpenter Ants outdoor nesting sites includes tree trunks, wood stumps, hollow logs, fence posts or other similar large pieces of wood. Wood that is moist or partially decayed is preferred but they can also burrow in sound wood. Inside structures, these ants are commonly found when water has leaked and soaked the surrounding wood.  

Carpenter Ants do not consume wood as food. They cut out galleries in the wood grain and prefer to follow the softer portions of the wood.  They chew off tiny bits of the wood and deposit them outside the nest. The appearance of "sawdust-like" piles is a key indicator of the location of the colony. 

They feed on a wide variety of foods including dead insects. A favorite food item is the sweet honeydew produced by homopterans (aphids, mealybugs, and scales). The wide variety of the Carpenter Ants diet have made it difficult to formulate a Carpenter Ant bait! (The search is still ongoing.)

In terms of colony build-up, it is important to highlight that most species of Carpenter Ants have their colonies "ruled" by only 1 fertilized queen. The growing and mature colonies will have both a parent (main) colony and one or more satellite colonies. The parent colony is mostly located outdoors, associated with moist wood and with a constant moisture source. In cases when the parent colony is found indoors, this is mainly due to water leak (plumbing) issues and on very moist, poorly ventilated crawl spaces. The satellite colonies will have workers, older larvae, pupae and a few winged reproductives without eggs. These can be located inside or outside an infested building and present on wall voids. 

Carpenter ants are highly mobile and can move their colony to a more suitable location if the current conditions become intolerable. The primary sites may be reoccupied by a satellite colony after encountering control treatments. 

IPM Tips for Carpenter Ants

1. Inspect, Inspect, Inspect. Conduct careful inspection to determine if the colony nesting indoor or outdoors is a parent colony or a satellite colony. 

2. Locate the main nest and conduct targeted pesticide application using approved pesticides (WP, SC and Microencapsulated products). ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS.

3. Focus treatment efforts on the nest(s). Sporadic surface spray treatment which only hits the visible foraging ant workers will only yield minimal results. A mature colony can immediately redeploy more workers!

4. Be PATIENT and PERSISTENT in your monitoring and treatment applications. Remember we are in combat against not just the parent colony but also with its support satellite colonies and the hundreds of thousands of ant workers population.

6. Inside structures, check for water leaks and other moisture sources, repair damaged plumbing.  If possible and feasible, remove and replace water-soaked wood to deter colony establishment indoors.

7. Indoors, sealing up wall, baseboard and door frame gaps can deter ant movement inside.  

8. For large community projects, seek the support of the Facility/Community Management and the Landscape service provider. This should be a joint effort, as the main nesting sites of Carpenter Ants are located on the outdoor landscape areas and inside the ornamental trees.   

 

It was truly an awesome adventure to observe the movement of Carpenter Ant workers during their night shift.   

   

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR! 

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways and be wise, Without having a chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. (Proverbs 6: 6-8, ESV)

A White-Handed Fiddler Crab Encounter at the Mangroves of Umm Al Quwain

 

A male white-handed fiddler crab on the prowl

As if minding his manners: covering his mouth while foraging

Heading back to its muddy burrow

When male fiddler crabs collide, a joust is expected. En Guarde!!

The male fiddler crab rendering its signature claw waving movement

A female fiddler crab strolling in the mud

A male fiddler exhibiting his "love gesture" to a nearby female

A muddy mangrove version of crab lovers "hide and seek"

On another section of the mangrove, male and female fiddler crab emerging from their burrows 

Fiddler crab burrows on the muddy mangrove bank

The white spots on the mud are fiddler crabs foraging

After a project meeting at Ras Al Khaimah, on my drive back to Dubai, I went for a side trip to explore a stretch of mangrove just a short distance from the main highway of Umm Al Quwain. It was late afternoon, the sun was about to set and low tide was evident. On the moist surface of the mangrove, I noticed a large number of white crabs moving about in the mud. These were white-handed fiddler crabs emerging from their burrows to feed and to find a mate. 

The White-Handed Fiddler Crab, Austruca albimana (DECAPODA: OCYPODIDAE)

As a fiddler crab, the male is characterized as having one claw much larger as compared to its entire body size. This enlarged claw can occupy up to a third of the crab's body mass. The male possesses a second smaller claw while the female does not have enlarged claws. 

The carapace breath of this crab ranges from 2.1-23.6mm. 

Distribution of the White-Handed Fiddler Crab

The white-handed fiddler crab is reported to be present in the muddy mangroves and sandy beaches of countries lining the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf. It is found in Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the UAE. 

Biodynamics Notes 

Fiddler crabs feed by scooping up sand and mud unto its mouth and thru special filters it separates the organic particles from the sand, dumps it out and it passes the digestible materials unto its gut. As the males have only 1 feeding claw, they need to put extra effort to forage.

The enlarged claw of the male is waved around in a distinct pattern. This pattern is characteristic for each crab species. Whereas in a muddy bank, even when there are other crab species, the females can recognize the males of their species with this movement. 

The enlarged claw is also used by the males to deter male rivals. If the rival crab did not respond by a withdrawal, "a joust battle" will ensue (here the best and able claw fighter wins).

The love display of the male claw is used by the female to determine which among the crowd of male crabs have the strongest and ablest claw to provide her the best burrow for her offspring. Once the female is convinced, she is taken by the male to his burrow where they mate undisturbed (love in the mangrove motel)!

Another amazing ability of fiddler crabs is their ability to regenerate lost limbs. Crab legs have a weak point and a special muscle that allows them to spontaneously snap their own leg when trapped, when they need to escape, and for survival. However, losing legs and claws is a big hazard for crabs, as this takes time and it happens only during the molting of its carapace. 

Fiddler crabs are so awesome to watch in their natural mangrove habitat. Let us protect and conserve the mangroves and our beaches to allow these awesome creatures to thrive! Stop littering and dispose your waste properly when you are out and about in nature!

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

An Encounter with Carpenter Ants (Camponotus spp.) FORMICIDAE in Dubai

Carpenter Ants male reproductive and workers

One ant species but different sizes of ant workers (Minor to Primary)

A primary worker ant and a male reproductive carpenter ant

The evenly rounded thorax is a key morphological characteristic of Carpenter Ants

Worker ants have a small anal opening which is circled by a ring of hairs

The head of a Carpenter Ant worker showing its mandibulate mouthparts 

The head of the Carpenter Ant revealing its geniculate (elbowed) antenna

Carpenter Ants emerging from their nest entrance (video courtesy of Engr. Rey L. Corpuz of Kendah) 

In collaboration with my good friend and industry colleague, Engr. Rey L. Corpuz of Kendah Pest Control UAE, we conducted an evening monitoring and assessment on the prevalence and foraging activities of Carpenter Ants in a project site. As the night deepens and the outdoor conditions became more humid, the numbers and intensity of ant activity increased. We were able to observe a steady trail of ant workers emerging from their nests on trunks of date palms, Royal poinciana (fire trees), and from the gaps on the sidewalk. 

The Carpenter Ant, Camponotus spp. (FORMICIDAE)

Carpenter Ants are large ants which have colonies composed of several sizes of workers. The largest worker can reach up to 17mm long while the female reproductive can reach up 20mm.

Carpenter ants are shiny black to red and black to yellow-brown in color depending on the species.  

Worker ants have only 1 node on the pedicel (waist). They have a small anal opening at the tip of their abdomen which is circled by a ring of hairs. Another key morphological feature is the evenly rounded thorax when viewed from the side.

Distribution of Camponotus spp,

Carpenter ants are found worldwide! The genera Camponotus is one of the largest genera of ants comprising of over 1,000 species.

Biodynamic Notes

A carpenter ant colony begins with a fertilized female coming from her nuptial (mating) flight. If successful, she will find a suitable nesting place and begin to rear a number of small workers (called mimims) from her initial batch of eggs. These first batch of workers will begin the task of nest excavation, foraging and taking care of the next brood of ant larvae.

Generally, a colony is constructed from a pre-existing cavity such as a tree hole and then it expands into the dead and damaged wood. 

It takes several years for a colony to mature to its natural size. As the colony grows, various sizes of workers are produced. The largest (major) workers have larger heads than the smaller (minor) workers. 

Depending on the species, the colony growth can be very slow with only 10 to 15 workers produced during the first year and approximately 30 workers on the second year. It can take 2 to 3 years before major workers appear and 6 to 10 years for reproductives to be produced (that is truly a slow and long build up process). 

More biodynamics notes to be featured on Part 2. 

From night-time monitoring to microscopic analysis, it was truly an awesome time to study these large ants!

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

 

 

An Oriental Wasp (Campsomeriella thoracica) SCOLIIDAE Encounter in Dubai

A female Oriental Wasp foraging on flowers of the Sodom's Apple 

The female Oriental Wasp bears the distinct orange vestiture at the back of its head

Fully engaged with flower and pollen

On the wing, actively moving from flower to flower

It was on my weekend early morning walk along the desert bush trail in Warzan, Dubai, that I encountered a horde of shiny black wasps busy foraging on the blossoms of the Sodom's Apple (Calotropis procera). I was able to approach the blossoms and take photos of the wasps without incident. The Oriental Wasps were feasting on bountiful nectar and pollen, they do not want to be bothered and they do not mind the nosy but gentle explorer!

The Oriental Wasp, Camposomeriella thoracica (SCOLIIDAE)

Oriental wasps exhibit a clear display of sexual dimorphism. The female is 16-22mm long, wholly shiny black in color and bears an orange vestiture of hairs at the back portion of the head. She has a blunt, sickle-shaped mandible, her antennae are short and thick and she has a pair of orange-colored eyes. She also has a 1mm long stinger. The male is 12-17mm long, wholly gray-colored, with alternating red-orange and black markings on the abdomen, he has a vestiture of grey hairs at the back portion of the head, the mandible are smaller than the female, the antennae longer than the female, he has a pair of grey colored eyes. He has no stinger.  

Distribution of the Oriental Wasp

These wasps are widespread and are reported to be present in Algeria, Benin, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Gambia, Greece, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Pakistan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. 

Biodynamics Notes

The Oriental Wasp does not construct hives. Adult males are gregarious-always hanging around near flowers in search for pollen and for potential mates. The adult female is solitary, actively searching for potential scarab larvae to lay her eggs. She can also burrow the soil to search for her host. Once a female locates a suitable beetle grub, it grabs it and injects her eggs into it. These eggs turn into legless larvae in a just a few days. The larva develops with its beetle grub host as it grows. It will eventually kill its host by consuming its internal organs, wherein it then spins a cocoon before it emerges as an adult wasp. (Now that's what you call killing it softly).

Both male and female wasps are NOT HARMFUL and NONAGGRESSIVE to humans. Male wasps simply avoid our presence and move on. The female will only sting if it is directly harassed. Her sting however, is not medically significant. 

The Oriental Wasps are pollinators and natural enemies of scarab beetles. 

Attention dear PMPs, not all bees, wasps and hornets species that we encounter require a spray-to-kill approach! Education is key. Know your insects. Understand their biodynamics. We also need to also inform our clients. Not all flying and crawling insects in their facility require the death sentence. We always have to EDUCATE ourselves and our customers and PRACTICE environmentally-sound pest management procedures. 

Watching these jet-black lady pollinators with their bright orange coats foraging on the blossoms of the Sodom's Apple was such an awesome experience. 

Awesome creature. Awesome CREATOR!

An Encounter With A Colony of Red Dwarf Honeybees at the Al Hajjar Mountains

Red Dwarf Honey Bees are important pollinators in their natural habitat

Red Dwarf Honey Bees build their colony on branches of trees

These honey bees build a single comb hive 

Workers formed a defensive curtain of bees to protect the comb 

A worker bee foraging at the nearby Acacia tree

A close-up video of the Red Dwarf Honey Bee Colony

During a recent expedition in a wadi at Sefai, RAK, along the winding trails of the Al Hajjar Mountains, I observed a large, dark-colored, actively-moving clump of insects hanging on a branch of a tree. It's a new colony of the Red Dwarf Honey Bees or Asian Dwarf Honey Bees taking shape under the shade of a branch! The worker bees were taking advantage of the availability of Acacia flowers in bloom across the wadi! It was so awesome that I was able to come close to the hive (literally inches away) to observe and document this experience. What a wonderful sight under the simmering desert sun! 

The Red Dwarf Honey Bees or Asian Dwarf Honey Bees (Apis florea) play an important ecological role as pollinators in their natural habitats. They pollinate not just the forest plants and trees, but also important agricultural fruit trees. 

They are smaller in size (7-10mm in length) than the domestic honey bees (Apis mellifera). The adults are red-brown in color with white and black bands on the abdomen. 

Distribution of Red Dwarf Honey Bees

These bees are found in Asia and in Africa (eastern Sudan), mainly in Southeast Asia, Northeast India, China and in the Middle East. In the United Arab Emirates they are considered as the main natural pollinator bee species.

Biodynamics Notes

These bees are NOT AGGRESSIVE and are HARMLESS TO HUMANS. 

The worker bees construct a single comb suspended on a tree branch. The comb is usually 25cm across. The comb is defended by a curtain of bees 3-4 bees deep. At least 3/4 of the colony's worker population are engaged in the formation of this living protective curtain. 

When disturbed, the bees exhibit a "shimmering movement", wherein the individual bees shake their abdomen side to side in a synchronous manner, a prominent hissing sound is also produce (Now that is a different level of a shake off).  

To combat against ant attacks, the worker bees coat the ends of the branch which supports the nest with layers of propolis or plant gum. This anti-ant layer is 2.5 to 4cm wide. Only Apis florea is the bee species that utilizes this defensive strategy.

Another unique habit that the Red Dwarf Honey Bees exhibit, is that if they are building a new nest near their old one, they salvage the wax from the old comb and use it in the new one. (REUSE AND RECYCLE Honey Bee Style). Other honey bee species do not exhibit this behavior. 

It is important to note that when the colony is greatly disturbed, the bees readily abandon the site and move on to a new location.    

The Red Dwarf Honey Bee colony is small (only a few thousand bees), it produces a single comb with little amounts of honey (just a few hundred grams of honey per colony). They have not been domesticated for honey production and for pollination services YET!

Calling the attention of Pest Management Professionals (PMPs), let us be BEE FRIENDLY! Avoid spraying the hives and killing the bees! Let us give bees the chance to thrive! Let us educate the public that this bee species is not going to attack and harm them. If hive removal is inevitable, contact a professional beekeeper or your local beekeeping association for proper colony removal. The ecological benefits from these awesome pollinators far outweigh our fear of being stung!   

This bee colony encounter was truly awesome! It stimulated further my curiosity for bees and my appetite for sweet, sweet HONEY!

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey inside" (Winnie The Pooh)    

 

A Schmidt's Fringe-Toed Lizard Encounter at the Maleha Trail in Sharjah

 

The Schmidt's fringe-toed lizard is fast moving both on the sand and underneath vegetation 

Ready to run away or ready to hide from Mr. Samurai Bug?

The Schmidt's fringe-toed lizard is also called the white-spotted lizard due to the body markings

Rapid movement, agility and camouflage allows it to thrive in the desert

It was in an expedition at the Maleha Trail that I encountered this very fascinating lizard. I felt its sudden but quiet jerky movement underneath the vegetation. Upon spotting the lizard, I shifted to stealth mode to be able to observe it closely. It appeared as curious as I am and was not in a rush to run away as I was taking the photos. 

Distribution of the Schmidt's Fringe-Toed Lizard

The Schmidt's fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti) is highly adapted and present in the desert environments of the Arabian Peninsula (the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain). It is also present in Jordan, Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. 

Descriptive Features of the Species

It derived its name from the 4th toe on its hind foot which is enlarged and has extended scales, giving it the comb-like fringe appearance. This "4th toe feature" enables the lizard to move rapidly on the sand. 

It is also called the White-Spotted lizard. The sandy-brown to tan colored dorsal portion of its body is covered with rows of white oval spots. The ventral portion is white and it has whip-like tail with a light colored tip.

Adult lizards can reach 18 to 20 cm long. 

Biodynamics Notes

They are oviparous (lay eggs that mature outside the females body).

Mainly insectivores, they burrow in the sand to escape from predators and the extreme temperatures of the desert. It also builds a burrow underneath shrubs and other vegetation.

A notable (and quite notorious) behavior exhibited by these lizards is that they always get involved in brawls with lizards of the same species. They are quite aggressive with each other and frequently get into skirmishes in defense of their territories! (Like watching a no-holds-barred UFC match of 4-legged, tan-colored desert warriors).

The Schmidt's fringe-toed lizard is so awesome! It was truly created with speed, agility, and the perfect camouflage for its desert environment. 

Awesome creature! AWESOME CREATOR!

An Arabian Cicada Encounter at the Al Showkha Trail in Ras Al Khaimah

At the warmth of the day, the loud "love song" of the male Arabian Cicada can be heard

An Arabian Cicada holding tightly on a tree branch as it plays its music

Can you spot where the Arabian Cicada is on its high branch concert stage?

A detailed head shot of the Arabian Cicada

Listen to the distinct  sound of the mating call of the male Arabian Cicada  

Nature's concert kings are back singing their "love songs". The Arabian Cicada males are all out with their rendezvous of musical chirpings to captivate the females. 

It was in a recent hiking trip at the wadi areas of the Al Showkha Trail in Ras Al Khaimah, that I got to encounter the distinctly long, loud to almost monotonous mating call sound of the Arabian Cicada. By listening carefully to the loud sound I was able to locate the tree, the branch and the actual cicada which was broadcasting! 

 The Arabian Cicada (Platypleura arabica) is the largest of the cicada species in the UAE. It is also observed in Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The adults can reach up to 26mm long. 

This cicada has a flat head with prominent eyes that face forward, and two very short bristle-like antennae. It is black in color with yellow-brown markings. It has two pairs of wings that are membranous with the forewings showcasing distinct sclerotized veins. 

The male cicada produces a loud, monotonous sound to attract the female with the use of 2 sound-producing organs at the lateral side of its abdomen called the tymbals. The tymbals act as speakers which produce sound in almost the same manner. These organs vibrate rapidly and the sound is magnified by the resonance with the body cavity of the cicada. The singing is mostly done in the warmth of the day but once danger is sensed, it stops immediately!

The female cicada "cannot sing" but they are attracted to this musical rendezvous by the male. Once captivated by the love song, the cicada pair mate and the female lays her eggs via her ovipositor in slits on the bark of trees. 

Upon hatching, the immature cicada (nymph) directly goes underground and live a subterranean life. It has developed front legs which are used mainly for digging. The nymph spend years underground (from 1 to 9 years) feeding on the roots of trees. Upon completing its development, it emerges from the ground and shed off its skin. 

The life span of an adult cicada ranges from just 2 weeks to less than 2 months. (That might explain why the male is really giving an all-out performance for every concert). 

The Arabian Cicada is NOT a public health threat and NOT an agricultural pest. It does not sting or attack humans. It does not inflict economic damage to any crop. So please do not be trigger-happy with your sprayer or aerosol cans and try to eliminate that insect crooner up on the tree. If you can, please allow it to sing its love song and captivate the lady cicada that it has been longing to meet all those long periods of development underground. Let us just enjoy the love calls of this awesome insect! 

Awesome creature! AWESOME CREATOR!