It's cicada season! For those unfamiliar with that that means, a brief review of what I believe is strictly an East Coast phenomenon. I certainly didn't grow up with them in California, that's for sure. Cicadas are an insect that spends most of their life underground. In their final larval stage, they dig little tunnels up to the surface of the earth, climb up onto the undersides of tall leaves or the trunks of trees, and molt. They leave the shed exoskeleton clinging in place and emerge as winged insects a couple of inches long with giant red googly eyes. They stay in place near where they've molted for a day or two before taking to the treetops, where the males "sing" (it's complicated) to attract females. They mate, the females lays hundreds of eggs, and when the eggs hatch, the larvae drop to the ground and burrow down again. There are different cicadas with different life cycles, but the ones currently emerging out here do so only once every 17 years. When they do emerge, they do so by the thousands. Most of Washington, DC does not have their cicadas yet. They can have mine.
I know these cicadas should not be a big deal. They are not dangerous to humans (no bite or sting), they are safe for the puppy to eat (thank goodness because he
loves them and will stop mid-walk to scarf them down), they don't pose a risk to our garden, and they are excellent food for birds. This is all well and good, but I have trouble maintaining rationality in the face of GIANT GOOGLY-EYED BUGS. Seriously. They're everywhere. The molted exoskeletons are all over our trees, the blueberry bushes, most of our decorative plants...and the cicadas themselves make a tremendous buzzing sound when they vibrate their wings to dry them out after molting or when they fly away, and it's kind of freaky.
We are only just starting to hear the males singing in the trees - it's not that loud yet and is a rather pleasant background noise. Once there are more of them I may feel differently - we shall see. This is my first cicada cycle experience...it's...interesting.
It's cicada season! For those unfamiliar with that that means, a brief review of what I believe is strictly an East Coast phenomenon. I certainly didn't grow up with them in California, that's for sure. Cicadas are an insect that spends most of their life underground. In their final larval stage, they dig little tunnels up to the surface of the earth, climb up onto the undersides of tall leaves or the trunks of trees, and molt. They leave the shed exoskeleton clinging in place and emerge as winged insects a couple of inches long with giant red googly eyes. They stay in place near where they've molted for a day or two before taking to the treetops, where the males "sing" (it's complicated) to attract females. They mate, the females lays hundreds of eggs, and when the eggs hatch, the larvae drop to the ground and burrow down again. There are different cicadas with different life cycles, but the ones currently emerging out here do so only once every 17 years. When they do emerge, they do so by the thousands. Most of Washington, DC does not have their cicadas yet. They can have mine.
I know these cicadas should not be a big deal. They are not dangerous to humans (no bite or sting), they are safe for the puppy to eat (thank goodness because he loves them and will stop mid-walk to scarf them down), they don't pose a risk to our garden, and they are excellent food for birds. This is all well and good, but I have trouble maintaining rationality in the face of GIANT GOOGLY-EYED BUGS. Seriously. They're everywhere. The molted exoskeletons are all over our trees, the blueberry bushes, most of our decorative plants...and the cicadas themselves make a tremendous buzzing sound when they vibrate their wings to dry them out after molting or when they fly away, and it's kind of freaky.
We are only just starting to hear the males singing in the trees - it's not that loud yet and is a rather pleasant background noise. Once there are more of them I may feel differently - we shall see. This is my first cicada cycle experience...it's...interesting.
Looks like you got to see one emerging from his larval skin! I loved watching that process as a child growing up in northern Virginia. Guess I was meant to be a vet!
ReplyDeleteYou most definitely were. =)
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, no cicadas yet in Alexandria. But in California did you ever see Jerusalem beetles? Ughughufgh! So freaky...
ReplyDelete