topic Re: The Cicada Saga continues in Community Chat

The Cicada Saga continues

songbird — Sun, 23 May 2021 13:34:00 GMT

Yes, they are all over everything now. I took my early walk to be greeted by the "singing" of the cicadas. Hard to describe it, but it sounds like the old 1950's space age films with a chorus wailing form outer space. Not as strong as it will be, because the creatures are still coming and becoming better fliers. They are flying everywhere! They landed on my shoulders, my head...you name it. I wore a hat for this purpose. You have to look down, because once they shed their baby skin, they stand still, looking frozen. Then lurch themselves upward. Yes, I've stepped on quite a few. I saw quite a few birds intercept and catch cicadas. I bet there are going to be very happy, fat birds. I had to walk around in to the street, because the sidewalks are filled with them. Just sitting there. Wasps are catching them too.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

Pook — Sun, 23 May 2021 13:43:24 GMT

We have a vacaton cottage in an area that does get cicadas and if we are there will not go out until they are gone. It is such a loud sound like a bunch of buzz saws! I would walk my dog as soon as it started to get light before they started. It's really creepy!!

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

MorningLover — Sun, 23 May 2021 13:54:28 GMT

WBAL News

A Maryland candy company is cooking up chocolate covered cicadas

A Maryland candy company is selling chocolate covered cicadas to celebrate the emergence of the noisy insects that have spent the last 17 years underground.

Chouquette Chocolates is selling the cicadas -- dipped in either milk or dark chocolate -- online, but it also posted the recipe on its Facebook page for brave chefs looking for something to do with the bugs.

Billions of cicadas from Brood X are emerging from their subterranean homes as temperatures warm up in the eastern United States. They'll spend the final days of their lives mating and making a tremendous racket as males work to attract females. It's is expected to be the largest emergence event since 2004.

The fresh cicadas are frozen, given a quick dip in boiling water, then coated in oil and spices, before being air fried and dropped in chocolate, according to the instruction video. The video showed containers of cinnamon and Old Bay (because, Maryland), but the post said to use whatever spice you like.

Chouquette Chocolates owner Sarah Dwyer told cnn affiliate WBAL that the end result tastes like chocolate covered Potato Chips !!

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

NicksmomESQ — Sun, 23 May 2021 14:08:42 GMT

YUCK!!!!! I'll pass

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

Meowingkitty — Sun, 23 May 2021 14:11:14 GMT

EWWWWWW GROSS. Also wouldn't you hate to work at that chocolate company and have to see that all day.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

songbird — Sun, 23 May 2021 14:11:07 GMT

Every cicada year, the tv will broadcast a cicada cooking show. then a reporter or someone in the audience will volunteer to eat them.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

nana59 — Sun, 23 May 2021 14:16:29 GMT

inviting family and friends over for a chocolate fondue party.....dipping cicadas.....should be fun............wanna join us?!

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

fthunt — Sun, 23 May 2021 15:02:33 GMT

@songbird How large are they? Pictures on TV in HD makes them appear HUGE...

About how long? May I ask what state are you - believe I heard Maryland area have them.

Anybody south of Maryland - DC sightings? GA weather station noted today none so far.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

RedTop — Sun, 23 May 2021 15:26:26 GMT

Southern WV dealt with them last year.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

KingstonsMom — Sun, 23 May 2021 15:49:36 GMT

@fthunt wrote:
@songbird How large are they? Pictures on TV in HD makes them appear HUGE...

About how long? May I ask what state are you - believe I heard Maryland area have them.
Anybody south of Maryland - DC sightings? GA weather station noted today none so far.

@fthunt

I'm in SE coastal GA (Savannah) and none here so far.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

Carmie — Sun, 23 May 2021 16:08:40 GMT

Oh, I hate them. I remember when they were here 17 years ago.

We don't have them at our home, but we sure do where we keep our RV on a permanent site. They crawl out of the ground around a white birch tree.They are loud and they are dirty. There are thousands of them.

My DH is at our lake place this weekend "dealing" with them. I stayed home to do my granddaughter's hair, nails and makeup for the prom.

They are supposed to be edible...but no thanks..way too ugly looking for me. I'll let the fish and birds eat them.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

DiAnne — Sun, 23 May 2021 16:14:24 GMT

Good time for a long vacation!

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

Pook — Sun, 23 May 2021 18:15:05 GMT

Supposedly they taste like shrimp. I think Kelly and Ryan are going to have a chef who prepares them on the show.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

January121 — Sun, 23 May 2021 23:35:00 GMT

I’m in Staten Island NY & so far I haven’t seen/heard them in my area .... I hope it stays that way 😊

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

JustJazzmom — Mon, 24 May 2021 00:37:02 GMT

@January121 Long Island might not get a huge amount of them because of overdevelopment. The various state parks & arboretums are monitoring for them.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

irbrenda — Mon, 24 May 2021 00:44:17 GMT

Me too, Staten Island, We were last invaded in 2013. I hope we don't see them this year. They are beyond horrifying!

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

Shawnie — Mon, 24 May 2021 02:56:23 GMT

I think they are kind of cute. They don't bite or sting. Just singing looking for love once every 17 yrs.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

songbird — Mon, 24 May 2021 11:31:03 GMT

@fthunt wrote:
@songbird How large are they? Pictures on TV in HD makes them appear HUGE...

About how long? May I ask what state are you - believe I heard Maryland area have them.
Anybody south of Maryland - DC sightings? GA weather station noted today none so far.

They're pretty long. About 3/4". Yes they are in Maryland, New York, Tennesse, Virginia, PA, DL, DC, I thnk NC is about as far south.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

songbird — Mon, 24 May 2021 11:33:48 GMT

@Shawnie wrote:
I think they are kind of cute. They don't bite or sting. Just singing looking for love once every 17 yrs.

They grow on you. No they don't harm you. The just crawl all over you. Rubbing their legs is the male mating song. Which why they sound so weird.

Re: The Cicada Saga continues

MorningLover — Mon, 24 May 2021 12:17:09 GMT

Have you heard about Cicada Chasers ! Copy and paste the bold print to read the story.

cnet.

Cicada chasers: Meet the citizen scientists mapping the bugs of Brood X

It's "never-ending amazement," one man says of his cicada adventures. "It doesn't get old."...

"They almost have a personality. Because they're a bit bigger, you can see their whole face. When they first emerge, they're very timid, so you can pick them up and interact with them." ...

"Those who weren't alive 17 years ago or who were too young at the time and can't remember ... are in for quite an experience, says Gene Kritsky, dean of behavioral and natural sciences at Cincinnati's Mount St. Joseph University and a recognized cicada expert...