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See If This Video Doesn't Make You Love (or at Least Appreciate) Cicadas
Unfurling its wings and letting them harden. (Image: Samuel Orr/Motion Kicker via Vimeo screenshot)

See If This Video Doesn't Make You Love (or at Least Appreciate) Cicadas

Many might be lamenting the mass invasion of cicadas that have begun to emerge, blanketing grass and trees in some areas and issuing a deafening sound as males try to attract a mate. But those quick to judge might want to take a moment and watch this video by Samuel Orr to see if they will change their tune about these inch-long insects:

The video takes a stunning look at cicada development, adding a some-what emotional element to their 17-year life story. The footage shows the insects' emergence from the ground, an incredibly detailed time-lapse of their molting into an adult form and the amazing speed with which they move their wings to create a mating call.

A cicada emerges. (Image: Samuel Orr/Motion Kicker via Vimeo screenshot)

Molting (Image: Samuel Orr/Motion Kicker via Vimeo screenshot)

Unfurling its wings and letting them harden. (Image: Samuel Orr/Motion Kicker via Vimeo screenshot)

Adults getting ready to find mates. (Image: Samuel Orr/Motion Kicker via Vimeo screenshot)

Now another 17 years of waiting. (Image: Samuel Orr/Motion Kicker via Vimeo screenshot)

Orr is working on a full documentary about these "fascinating insects."

The natural history filmmaker and time-lapse photographer wrote on his Kickstarter site, which he is hoping will help him fund the documentary project, that he has been following the periodical cicadas since 2007 and already has more than 200 hours of footage.

He hopes the film would be completed by 2014 and would be run on PBS.

Learn more details about the project here.

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