Aleeta curvicosta, commonly called the floury baker or floury miller, is
a species of cicada native to the eastern coastline of Australia.
Described in 1834 by Ernst Friedrich Germar, it is currently the only
described species in the genus Aleeta. The floury baker's distinctive
appearance and loud call make it popular with children. Both the common
and genus name are derived from the white, flour-like filaments covering
the adult body. Its body and eyes are generally brown with pale
patterns. Its forewings have dark brown patches at the base of two of
their apical cells. The female is larger than the male, and both grow
larger in regions of higher rainfall. The male has a loud and complex
call generated by the frequent buckling of ribbed tymbals and amplified
by abdominal air sacs. The floury baker is solitary and occurs in low
densities. Individuals emerge from the soil between November and
February, and can be seen until May. They inhabit a variety of trees,
with a preference for paperbark. The floury baker, which is a relatively
poor flier, is preyed upon by cicada killer wasps and a wide variety of
birds, and can succumb to a cicada-specific fungal disease.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleeta_curvicosta>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1607:
Susenyos defeated the combined armies of Yaqob and Abuna Petros
II at the Battle of Gol in Gojjam, making him Emperor of Ethiopia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susenyos_I>
1830:
By royal decree, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was
established to be the military force maintained by the Netherlands in
its colony of the Dutch East Indies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_East_Indies_Army>
1952:
Forbidden by law to seek re-election, former Cuban President
Fulgencio Batista staged a coup d'état to resume control.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgencio_Batista>
1975:
Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnam began its final push for
victory over South Vietnam with an attack on Ban Me Thuot.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ban_Me_Thuot>
2005:
Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong,
announced his resignation following widespread dissatisfaction with his
leadership.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_Chee_Hwa>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
normothermic:
(medicine) Having a normal body temperature.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/normothermic>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
 What I am is what I am. Are you what you are — or what?
--Edie Brickell
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Edie_Brickell>