Compiled by C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN

A FAMILY in Langkap, Perak, received a pleasant surprise when a giant cicada (pic) as big as their palms visited their home during Chinese New Year, China Press reported.

Local resident Tian Yongling, who returned home for dinner during the festive period, noticed loud clicking sounds when enjoying her mum’s homemade nian gao (glutinous rice cake) outside their house.

“Suddenly, a large insect landed on our table and gave my nephew such a fright. My dad picked it up and remarked that he has never seen such a big cicada.

“The more common ones we see are small. This one was nearly the size of our palms, ” she told the daily.

Tian shared pictures of the insect online and netizens identified it as the Malaysian emperor cicada, which has a wingspan of up to 20cm and is the largest of its kind in the world.

Some Internet users thought the insect was fake but Tian regarded the encounter as an omen of good luck.

“Some say being visited by a beautiful cicada is a sign of good luck and that we’ll win the lottery soon. Some of our friends even ‘borrowed’ the cicada and showed it to their children.

“After a short while, we let it back to where it came from, ” she said.