On the eve of Brood X

[MissInformation]

The cicadas are starting to emerge. This is the year of the 17 Year Cicada (sometimes referred to as the 17 Year Locust, though they are not related to locusts at all). The cool thing is that I actually got to see one emerge from a sandpit today. The not so cool thing is that most likely by next week, I will not be able to walk from my house to my car without being whapped by at least three. I kid you not; it will be a real invasion. This map shows the areas that will be the most affected.

They do not bite or anything, but they are big and they don't see so well, so they constantly smack into things. Back in 1987 at a yard sale, I saw one fly into a man's mouth as the man was talking (at almost the same time, one flew down my mother's shirt and she proceeded to run screaming across some stranger's yard pulling her shirt off). This year, I have sworn I will be calm. I will not scream like a girly-girl when one lands on me, I'm not even going to try to dodge them: it just won't work. However, I will most likely have a scowl on my face for the next 4-8 weeks and I'll shake my fist and rant at them on a daily basis.

So for those of you in the right areas, are you ready for this guy (or gal) to be your friend?

Heidi

<=========>
now going to brood over Brood X

[Jeff Rodriguez]

That's gross.
I remember they were on Long Island when I was at my grandparents house as a kid. I don't remember them in staggering numbers though, maybe because that would be when I was 3.
I just hope they don't emerge in CT because they make the worst noise.

[Adam Y.]

I remember they were on Long Island when I was at my grandparents house as a kid. I don't remember them in staggering numbers though, maybe because that would be when I was 3.

Heh. I always liked the sound of the Cicada.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

Heh. I always liked the sound of the Cicada.

Not when there will be 20-30 a square foot!


Wetzel

[Jay H 237]

I wonder what they don't like about West Virginia and Illinois? Looking at the map they basically border these states on both sides but haven't been recorded in them.

Indiana is basically all red....great.


Well I guess its time to pull out the air rifles and take care of this problem

[Katie Reynolds]

Originally Posted by MissInformation

The cicadas are starting to emerge. This is the year of the 17 Year Cicada

Aren't the 13 year cicadas coming to play too?

[MissInformation]

Originally Posted by Katie Reynolds

Aren't the 13 year cicadas coming to play too?

13 year cicadas are found more in the south and midwest and 17 year cicadas tend to be more northern, but there are crossover states and some years they emerge at the same time. I'm not sure if this is one of those years or not.

I'm probably kidding myself that I'm not going to scream and run from them. When I was a kid, my father used to tell us that the reason cicadas smacked into things was to lay their eggs, and if they did it to you, 17 years later, cicadas would emerge from your skin. Now by 1987 (last time they were here) I was old enough and educated enough to know this wasn't true... but still... So add one slightly sadistic father to a mother who would cry and scream over flecks of dust she thought were bugs and you'll end up with a healthy aversion of all creepy-crawlies.

Heidi

<==========>
again, they don't bite, they don't bite, they don't bite... well, they will if you hold them for too long, but little chance of me doing that...