Time for new earplugs.
Hi Brit,
When you’re walking across your yard or a park, do you ever wonder what’s under your feet? Well, over here, it’s these:Â
That scary as hell looking thing is a cicada. Some types have a 13 or 17 year life cycle, and live underground until it’s time to mate. At that point they all come out at once, billions of them, and for a month the sound of the males’ mating call is almost deafening. Fortunately they don’t bite or sting, but they are large enough to hurt a bit if they happen to fly into you. I’m happy to announce that we won’t get another hatch until 2011, but others are not so lucky, Swarms of Cicadas Emerging in Midwest. Just thought I’d give you a heads up, if you happened to be planning to travel in the Midwest.
the Grit
Posted: May 21st, 2007 under bugs, cicada, insects, news, opinion, science, sex.
Comments: 7
Comments
Comment from Barbara (Xerraire)
Time: May 21, 2007, 5:42 pm
Residents of Maryland are well acquainted with the cicada and their every 17 year return.
We recently had our appearence of them. The period before I was lucky enough to catch a flight to Europe during that era, and I can still well remember the silence I felt leaving Maryland and getting on that airplane.
Comment from Emalyse
Time: May 21, 2007, 6:22 pm
Oh don’t – those things used to drive my tinnitus crazy in Australia. Apparently my partner’s Mum used to pick them up and tickle their tummys to prompt the sound. I heard Elle ‘the body’ McPherson once say that she missed their sound when away from Oz (really!). Luckily no such equivalent in the UK.
Comment from the Grit
Time: May 21, 2007, 6:40 pm
Hi Barb,
We had them 3 or 4 years ago, but the hatch wasn’t as big as I recall from earlier in life. It seems that there’s enough development in the area to lessen their numbers.
Hi Em,
When I saw the news item, I looked it up and knew you didn’t have them over there. It’s why I thought some of our non-US readers might find it interesting. I did not, however, know they existed Down Under, although I seem to recall that Africa is infested. Most interesting. Of course, in some places people eat them. I may have to grill a batch next time we are invaded.
the Grit
Comment from Next Stop Lauderdale
Time: May 21, 2007, 7:14 pm
“I’m happy to announce that we won’t get another hatch until 2011″
Ah shucks and to think if they could wait just another year it would be on the otherside of the Mayan calendar.
. . . . . . stevereenie
Comment from mommy zabs
Time: May 21, 2007, 7:27 pm
interesting you posted this. I have not heard them lately but I SWEAR I am seeing their shelles all over my gardens??? I wondered if they had been out, but that is a really hard thing to miss. However, I am in the midwest….
Comment from the Grit
Time: May 21, 2007, 8:20 pm
Hi s,
You know, I was thinking the same thing when I looked up the dates 
Hi mz,
The second link in the post has info on hatches by date and state. You have to scroll down a bit, but there is a nice table. As to the shells, aren’t they scary?
the Grit
Comment from Bill Compton
Time: June 4, 2007, 10:24 pm
Hi Jim. Photos i received. Thanks
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