Redeye Cicada (Psaltoda moerens)

About Redeye Cicada (Psaltoda moerens)

• Kingdom: Animals
• Phylum: Arthropods
• Class: Insects
• Order: True Bugs
• Family: Cicadas

Psaltoda moerens, commonly known as the redeye, is an Australian species of cicada. It is distributed through the south-east of Australia, from southern Queensland to South Australia, as well as Tasmania. Populations can vary greatly between years; one year they may be present in large numbers and the next they may be entirely absent. They feed primarily on eucalyptus but also on Angophora trees. As they feed on tree sap they expel small droplets of clear waste fluid. When numbers are high, this can form a constant stream.