Community Chat

[songbird]

They are called the Brood X. Today I took a walk on my lunch hour.  I saw 3 Cicadas.  They have a face only a mother can love.  They are horrible fliers.  Just awful.  Their idea of flying is from the ground up to my shoulder.  Then launch themselves up to a tree.  Very clumsy insects.  I'm not afraid of them.  But it looked ridiculous sitting on my shoulder. The other two were on the ground on my driveway.  One was dead.  I think one of us ran over him.  They should be all out within the next two days.  I've forgotten the noise they make.  But at least they're quiet after dark.  Or I hope they are.  The only ones that'll be happy are birds and cicada killers (bees).  And of course people that claim they've eaten them.

[september]

I'm heading to Maryland in a few weeks.  I think they may be out in full force at that time?   I'm not afraid of insects, just find them icky, especially in huge amounts.

[fthunt]

I've heard all the chatter on TV  about them coming out; but today wondered the date/month as haven't paid that much attention.

As a kid I fully remember those black worms with gold dots on the back - hanging from webs from our many big maple trees.  They would just - drop - down on you or you walk through a web/nest.  I wasn't a happy kid when they were out.

Here & NOW...... we get tree frogs  (tiny ones) in hot August weather and they make a loud high pitch  constant.... that never ends.  Swear there are hundreds - then all of a sudden - complete quiet.  Do they have choir director that says...STOP.......or does one studip little frog make all that noise?  Beats me.....but it drives me back in house from porch.

[SilleeMee]

We don't have those cicada bugs here in Colorado. We have an abundance of ants (no fire ants!), however....all kinds of them. Not much of anything else. Maybe an occasional scorpion but not many, depending on where you are.

[songbird]

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@september wrote:

I'm heading to Maryland in a few weeks.  I think they may be out in full force at that time?   I'm not afraid of insects, just find them icky, especially in huge amounts.

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Full force in a few days!  15 states.  All of the middle atlantic states, PA, VA, etc.  This group is called Brood X, and they are biggest in terms of population.

[songbird]

@fthunt  They only quiet just before a storm.  But the "singing" seems to non stop.  The terrible flying and the noise (plus the damage to the trees)  A lot of people were smart enough to put netting on young trees.  They are harmless to people.  But they mistake people for trees though.

[fthunt]

Goose Bumps......................................

[songbird]

Supposedly you can eat them.  Just rinse off the dirt.  Olive oil in a pan.  Add veggies or pasta, then the cicadas.  Every time they come, they put on a cooking show starring the cicadas.  I've never eaten one.  Last time they came, I was on campus.  The guys were chasing the girls clutching them.  Trying to drop them down their tops. 

After they mate, they die happy.  They'll be around from now to the end of June.

[patbz]

I remember them from 1954 or 55 when I lived in Silver Spring.  Also remember the older brother of a little friend who loved dissecting them; he later became a Surgeon (really).

[songbird]

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@patbz wrote:

I remember them from 1954 or 55 when I lived in Silver Spring.  Also remember the older brother of a little friend who loved dissecting them; he later became a Surgeon (really).

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I love that.  We didn't have them Italy (or I don't remember them there)  I remember here in the U.S. kids running around with them.  Some were mean, trying pull off their wings.