I was lucky enough to observe, just as I was discovering this nest, a female arriving and entering the nest.  She had no cicada with her, so either her hunt was unsuccessful or she was checking the nest.  A 45-minute campout at the nest with camera and tripod at the ready was not fruitful.  However, I was able to zoom in on the hole itself and get just the faintest glimmer of the insect just inside the opening.  After explaining to my curious neighbor what I was doing, and working up a serious thirst in the 99 degree afternoon heat for over an hour, I retreated indoors.  A quick check later showed the nest had been covered over and filled in, possibly by the shoe of a neighbor’s grandchild who was unimpressed when shown the habitat.  I carefully dug a bit of the dirt out just in case.  Another possibility was that the nest had been completed and was simply ready for sealing.

The next day, the nest appeared to be once again open for business, but I observed no activity.

If you just look around you carefully, it’s amazing what you can find that is right in front of you.  A person doesn’t have to go anywhere to observe life’s wonders.  They are all around us.