Enormous Insect, What Is It?

[msg362]

Does anyone have an idea what this is? it came flying in last night like a WW2 bomber!

[BuckarooBanzai]

A cicada. The bugs that make the loud noises especially during dusk.

[newsite12]

Yes.. Amazing things.. They lay underground for 17 years and then emerge over a few days in their millions, and then turn into adults and mate. Then after a couple of weeks,they are all dead.. Its a strange life cycle.

Apparently the males are attracted by clicking sounds, as it resembles the female mating call.. So maybe it heard something resembling a click click in your house.

[msg362]

Yes.. Amazing things.. They lay underground for 17 years and then emerge over a few days in their millions, and then turn into adults and mate. Then after a couple of weeks,they are all dead.. Its a strange life cycle.

Apparently the males are attracted by clicking sounds, as it resembles the female mating call.. So maybe it heard something resembling a click click in your house.

Thanks both of you, the video is just great

[tailspin]

poor thing, sleeps for 17 years, lives for a couple of day s, and ends up becoing an internet superstar on Thaivisa...talk about 15 minutes of fame!

[thaicbr]

I read this thread title and i thought it was Thaksin sneaking back into the country

[adder]

poor thing, sleeps for 17 years, lives for a couple of day s, and ends up becoing an internet superstar on Thaivisa...talk about 15 minutes of fame!

Sort of like motor cycle taxi men

[tw25rw]

They don't sleep underground.. They live their lives underground as grubs, then emerge to breed.. The length of time underground varies..

As a kid in Sydney, I used to see loads of these things every year.. Completely harmless to people.

[lazygourmet]

I read this thread title and i thought it was Thaksin sneaking back into the country

[Raesum]

If its what I think it is-yes they do make a defeaning noise but beware as it also emits a kind of wee(for want of a better word) out of two front openings-reminded me of a steam iron.It does this on a very regular basis.When they come out, out our way we see people walking beside our canal with oiled plastic bags on sticks catching them. They'd make a crunchy hor d'oeuvres.!

[sbk]

Yup, cicada, don't know about the wee though. In fact, only one type of cicada spends 17 years underground as a grub and its in North America although there is another one that goes for about 13 years. Pretty sure the ones in Asia have a two - five year cycle. I've dug up their enormous grubs in my garden before, always try to put them back.

Here is a very cool animated gif from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cicada_molting_animated-2.gif

[Moonrakers]

Noisy buggers

[Beetlejuice]

Yes.. Amazing things.. They lay underground for 17 years and then emerge over a few days in their millions, and then turn into adults and mate. Then after a couple of weeks, they are all dead.. Its a strange life cycle.

Apparently the males are attracted by clicking sounds, as it resembles the female mating call.. So maybe it heard something resembling a click click in your house.

Sounds like the typical farang Thailand ex pat.

[BuckarooBanzai]

This is your bugs big brother:

[villagefarang]

They hunt them in the trees. Catch them with a long sticky pole. Then fry them up and serve as finger food. Finger lickin' good.

[poanoi]

djak-gka-djan in karaoke thai, a delicacy if deepfried with salt'n pepa and a leaf called bai-tdey, personally i like to dip in a nice mustard with horseredish

[zzaa09]

djak-gka-djan in karaoke thai, a delicacy if deepfried with salt'n pepa and a leaf called bai-tdey, personally i like to dip in a nice mustard with horseredish

Substantial protein source and quite tasty if prepared right.

[RickThai]

They hunt them in the trees. Catch them with a long sticky pole. Then fry them up and serve as finger food. Finger lickin' good.

Are these the same kind of bugs? They look like mangdas (rice bugs).

RickThai

[villagefarang]

Are these the same kind of bugs? They look like mangdas (rice bugs).

Same bugs with wings removed and ready to eat. Rice bugs are flatter and longer. Up North they call this bug Maeng-Jua but poanoi was right for central Thai, jak-ka-jan. My arrangement on the plate was simply for the photo. Kind of a joke.

[thequietman]

djak-gka-djan in karaoke thai, a delicacy if deepfried with salt'n pepa and a leaf called bai-tdey, personally i like to dip in a nice mustard with horseredish

if i even look at one cooked up at the local market, i want to hurl.

[poanoi]

djak-gka-djan in karaoke thai, a delicacy if deepfried with salt'n pepa and a leaf called bai-tdey, personally i like to dip in a nice mustard with horseredish

if i even look at one cooked up at the local market, i want to hurl.

Do not fear: Taste wise It is a close call to grass hopper, which you no doubt enjoyed crunching on

[tailspin]

getting real hungry reading this thread

[Udox]

The female clicks her fingers and the male will follow her everywhere.

Seen in every beach resort bar in Thailand since time began

[Nip]

Yes.. Amazing things.. They lay underground for 17 years and then emerge over a few days in their millions, and then turn into adults and mate. Then after a couple of weeks,they are all dead.. Its a strange life cycle.

But what was the name of the guy who spent the 17 years filming this insect love fest? I love Sir David Attenborough but these wonderful wild life insights must to some large degree be based on assumption. Like making claims that penguins practice serial monogamy I guess most of us would lay claim to that fact also! Oh yeh!

[stuartd1]

Same bugs with wings removed and ready to eat. Rice bugs are flatter and longer. Up North they call this bug Maeng-Jua but poanoi was right for central Thai, jak-ka-jan. My arrangement on the plate was simply for the photo. Kind of a joke.

Why don't they leave the wings on, then you wouldn't need a fork!

[villagefarang]

"Same bugs with wings removed and ready to eat. Rice bugs are flatter and longer. Up North they call this bug Maeng-Jua but poanoi was right for central Thai, jak-ka-jan. My arrangement on the plate was simply for the photo. Kind of a joke."

Why don't they leave the wings on, then you wouldn't need a fork!

There is a little problem with that. It is the wings that get stuck to the glue and some of the glue they use is not very healthy. If they use another method to catch them, then cooking them whole is sometimes done but the wings normally just get burned up because you have to cook them for a while to make sure they are done. Anyway, when was the last time you saw a Thai use a fork on finger food like this?