They're Here
Well, nearly. The seventeen year plague of cicadas is almost upon us. Well, 'us' if you live in the eastern United States, south of NY, north of Georgia and east of Illinois. And west of the Ocean, naturally.
I have (due to suspiciously convenient absences) never experienced the wonder of a full scale cicada onslaught. To be honest, the prospect of this guy:
and a trillion of his closest friends arriving uninvited for dinner and a little sex leaves me cold. Although I would like to be the first to welcome our new Cicada overlords.
The thought of over a ton of bugs per acre puts me too much in mind of bad fifties movies. I have heard that the critters will generate over a hundred decibels with their interminable mating calls - that's verging on rock concert loud. My dog, though very cute, is not exactly a canine Einstein. Or for that matter even a canine Yahoo Serious. Exactly how sick he's going to get eating bugs is a matter of some concern.
Look below the fold for more info on the critters.
This Virginia Tech page, prepared by actual entomologists, has lots of gossip about the habits of Cicadas.
This University of Michigan site cuts right to the chase:
What is a periodical cicada? Cicadas are flying, plant-sucking insects
This map (obtained here, from Cicada Man) shows which areas brood X plans to conquer:
And of course, no experience is complete without a commemorative mug:
Why not sit down to a nice cupajoe, in your personalized cicada mug (fifteen states and DC!) while you go insane from the noise?
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Interestingly, this will be
Interestingly, this will be the third time I've encountered the bastards. As I'm sure you know, NE Ohio has a brood that's on a different 17-year cycle. I first saw them when I was in the 7th grade, which would have been 1982, then again in 1999 when I was living in Lakewood. Now I get them down here.
Where did I put that giant can of Raid?
WHooooHahahahahahha!
WHooooHahahahahahha!
Sux0rs! New England Rules! All we have to contend with are a trillion soda-sucking New Yorkers who come north for the summer.
By the way, Buckethead, did you notice that your li'l map there labels the eastern part of Oklahomey "Indian Territory?" Heh.
Johno, sweet! If only it
Johno, sweet! If only it labeled Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin the 'Northwest Territories.'
Phil, back in '82 I was visiting my dear old Dad, here in DC - missed them. I moved here in the summer of 99, and missed them. Although I lived in Portage County, and they're on a different Cicada schedule there. As in all things.
Here is the just-leaked
Here is the just-leaked official battleplan on how to get rid of the cicadas.
[url=http://www.urhome.umd.edu/newsdesk/pdf/cicada%20recipes.PDF]http://www…]
It's comin' right for us!
It's comin' right for us!
So far, I have seen exactly
So far, I have seen exactly two Cicadas. I am very dissapointed in brood x. How can I welcome our new insect overlords when there are only two of them, and frankly - they're not moving too much.
B,
B,
It's a 2 party system! You have to welcome one of them!
In other news, this just in: Don't put the cicadas in your mouth.
[url=http://www.wndu.com/news/052004/news_35209.php]http://www.wndu.com/news…]
This guy's a total siphon.
Where is the nearest cicada
Where is the nearest cicada infestation to Muncie, IN?
I want to record their sounds.