Among the new occupants was the asphodel.

This was precisely what I needed for my experiments.

I left the dry stems of the preceding year in place, and when the breeding season arrived I inspected them daily.
I had not long to wait.

As early as July 15th I found as many Cigales as I could wish on the stems of the asphodel, all in process of laying.

The gravid female is always solitary.