Posted by Helen on: 05.21.2007 /
Last time the 17 year cicadas were here we lived in an apartment downtown. There wasn’t any earth there for cicadas to emerge out of. I heard about them from my co-workers but I didn’t see them myself.
They’re due out by the end of the month - as soon as the soil temperature gets warm enough. This time we’re in a area which will have lots of them. I’m curious but I can’t say I’m expecting it to be ‘fun’.
Here’s an article about them: Swarms of cicadas emerging in Midwest
Comment by: Eliza
1Hmmm, fun, no that probably won’t describe it!
But fascinating - just think, these insects have life cycles that are prime numbers - 7 yr locusts, 13 & 17 yr cicadas - how cool is that!!?
One theory is that cycles like that protect them from predators which might have life cycles of a shorter number of yrs - 2 yrs, 4 yrs, etc - the predators’ cycle would have to match up exactly to allow them to lunch on these bugs.
Again - whoever thought it up, or however it came to be - isn’t it awesome!! Remember, try to think, “cool, awesome” as they swarm through your county! ;-)
Comment by: benjamin.ady
2I love these two quotes from the article re: “emergent” and “male courtship call”
and how about this from NPR: How to cook and eat cicadas
Comment by: Elaine
3In the Greater Cincinnati area, our 17 yr. cicadas were here 3 years ago this May. It is quite noisy by mid-day. The heat of the sun increases the volume and frequency of their mating calls.
If you live in a newer neighborhood (built in the last 16 years) you are not likely to hear them much this time around.
People in Cincinnati have written songs and recipes for this 17 year event.
They are rather interesting insects…All these little holes in the ground where they have been sleeping.
Enjoy!
Comment by: Helen
4Eliza, yes, it’s fascinating they are prime numbers. I will do my best to think ‘cool, awesome’!
Benjamin, would you love 90 decibels per male cicada if it was in your neighborhood? ;-) I might be taking a pass on the cicada recipes.
Elaine I live in an old neighborhood - many houses in it are over 100 years old, so I think we’ll be inundated.
Comment by: benjamin ady
5No no. I hate loud noise. I just found it funny how similar (that is, loud, and obnoxious, and … of a one track mind …), sometimes, *human* males can be. And I can say that, since I am one =)
And the emergent thing–well, I guess … Chuck Colson, for instance, might find the emergent church as obnoxious (and unstoppable!) as this insect emergence.
Comment by: Helen
6Benjamin, I’m sure there are a number of people who would prefer it if the emerging church only came out once every 17 years and was only out for a month!
Comment by: Doreen
7The noise never bothers me, but crunching them while driving, having them commit suicide onto my windshield, and having them fall out of the trees into my hair does sorta bother me!
poetcomic.blogspot.com
Comment by: Helen
8Doreen, yes, that doesn’t conjure up happy images for me ;-)
My husband said he saw a photo yesterday of three spotted in a nearby suburb. He said someone told him they come out in waves. The birds get the first wave and while they are lying around thinking “I couldn’t eat another cicada!” the next wave comes out. He asked me to please not investigate cicada recipes!
Comment by: Elaine
9Helen,
Here are some interesting recipes from the biology dept. of University of Cincinnati. Except for the cicadas, they sound pretty good.
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/steincarter/recipes.htm
Try it! You’ll like it! :)
Our cicadas had orange eyes. Very interesting!
Comment by: Love is the most excellent way · Cicadas
10 06/5/07 2:35 AM | Comment Link |[...] couple of weeks ago we were told the cicadas were due out any day. We still haven’t seen any in our own village but we’ve been hearing that there are [...]