Cicada Shell Cache

[crtrue]

As you may have gathered from the title, I had an idea last night. Craft some sort of plastic container into resembling a cicada shell and latching it onto a tree, one moderately deep in the woods / in a spot less prone to people pulling the shells off of the tree.

 

Issues:

1. How exactly do I go about crafting a cicada shell, seeing as molds and such would probably crush the source shell
   
2. In what manner would the log be attached? A slip-in logbook into the back where the slit is?
   

So, can anyone point me in the right direction / warn me of pitfalls / point me to a similar cache?

[+carleenp]

Get a bison tube (ideally black or silver I think). Get styrofoam in a can and make it into the shape of a cicada around the tube. Then paint it.

 

Cicada shells are very transparent. I don't think you can acurately copy that with a contianer that will hold a log, but making a more opaque one shouldn't be too hard.

 

Want to make it easy to find and funny? Have it hold a flag that says "see you in 17 years!" (edit for clarification: Illinois is having the 17 year cicada hatch this year)

 

Ummmm, can I copy this idea?????

Edited May 30, 2007 by carleenp

[bogleman]

Not to crush your dreams but I dont think you would like the final results - far too many small bits that will fail over time. It could be done using RTV rubber and plastic casting resin but I think the legs would be the biggest problem.

 

Get a rubber spider, snake or whatever and stuff a micro test tube inside the body. Another possibility is a decoy dove/crow - can get them at any hunting store

[+LDove]

Now that would be funny - holding a flag! I did get a "bug" similar to what you are talking about on E-Bay - I think it was supposed to be a dragonfly, but it might work. Mine was in a tree however, and the resident critter ate it up thinking it was real. There was only parts of it left and I had to replace it.

[+cerberus1]

If you have a friend into fly tying, take a small bison tube and have him epoxy a "shell" around it and tie on wings, head (remember those ugly red eyes) and legs.

I've made a couple of cicadas for fly-fishing when they're out and they're definately big enough!

A tyer will be accurate enough, but needs to "show" where to unscrew the critter.

All said, you're assuming folks won't ruin it in a short time...

[+carleenp]

If you have a friend into fly tying, take a small bison tube and have him epoxy a "shell" around it and tie on wings, head (remember those ugly red eyes) and legs.

I've made a couple of cicadas for fly-fishing when they're out and they're definately big enough!

A tyer will be accurate enough, but needs to "show" where to unscrew the critter.

All said, you're assuming folks won't ruin it in a short time...

 

Hmmm, I used to tie flies. That would hold up pretty well I think and could be done with some experimenting to make it work with the tube. Good idea!

 

Must find my old tying stuff when I get home.....

Edited May 31, 2007 by carleenp

[+9Key]

(edit for clarification: Illinois is having the 17 year cicada hatch this year)

Don't they come out every year? The bugs aren't all on the same cycle. Last year's bugs were from 1989, this year's from 1990.

[+Stunod]

(edit for clarification: Illinois is having the 17 year cicada hatch this year)

Don't they come out every year? The bugs aren't all on the same cycle. Last year's bugs were from 1989, this year's from 1990.

 

In Northern Illinois, we have 3 main types of Cicadas: "dogdays" Cicadas which are annual...and then there are 13 and 17 year Cicadas which only emerge every 13/17 years. We are expecting the 17-year Cicadas this year (and they estimate 1.5 million per acre)

[+Johny-Cachers]

There are many species of cicada, some annual, biannual, and others on entirely different life cycles. A few years ago in Pennsylvania, the 28 year cicadas came out of the ground by the billions. They were really cool and had orange eyes . The idea of making a replica of the shells as a container would be very cool.