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Let's not beat around the proverbial insect-ridden tree. The 17-year cicadas are coming back. Fuck. This. Is. Not. Cool.
There are two kinds of periodical cicadas, but they both do the same thing. After their eggs hatch, "tiny ant-like nymphs" bury their way below the ground to feed on plant roots for 17 or 13 years. Then they all simultaneously rise up from the ground in some horror show and shed their skins, mate, lay eggs and die ... all over again.
When this happens, there are thousands of them. THOUSANDS. Freakout. People sit around and tell tales of shoveling them off their sidewalks, of crunching over piles of them on their way to work, of them just littering everything. Where the hell is Hilary Swank when you really need her?
Curiously enough, there are lots of people who are really interested and digging on this particular phenomenon. There's a website called Cicada Mania that has a formula for calculating when the cicadas will come to your neck of the woods (60625 = May 15!!).
There's also a wedding guide to dealing with cicadas. Some classic tips:
- Cicadas have no interest in human food, but one might fall out of a tree and into the potato salad.
- Educate your guests: Let them know that cicadas don't sting like bees. Let them know they'll be around for the length of the party.
- Clean up: Cicadas leave skins behind — you may have to clean up before the wedding. A shop vac works fine.
Hahahaha ... ha ... ha ... Eww.
The male cicada makes the loudest sound in the insect world and can be heard as far as 440 yards. Since they're always on the prowl for a honey, the noise is fairly incessant. Ravinia has located concerts inside during their stay in the past. Cicadas pose no physical threat to humans; they don't sting or bite. However, the psychological damage we might incur is not yet known. Plus, we immediately resent anything that makes us not look forward to spring! Oh, stupid cicadas! We should have never put you in charge!
"Adult Cicada with Wing" via Happy Monkey.
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Seventeen years? HA! I have them on the side of my building at the end of the summer EVERY YEAR. Ear-splitting buzzing only steps away! Since when did the rest of you catch on to this?
oh, they aren't that bad. At least they're on par or less annoying than the weather today. bleargh.
Ferdy, those aren't the variety we're talking about here. There are cicadas, of a variety I do not know, that are around every summer and buzz and make noise.
These? Only come every seventeen years. and you'll know it when you see them. They are sticky and disgusting and cover everything the eye can see. You'll be walking down the street and look down and see two on your shoulder, every step you take is crunchy...it's enough to make me want to move somewhere with no trees for the month of June.
oh MAN... my sister's wedding. in june. me in strapless dress. under trees. not. happy.
@ Ferdy,
Some other species of cicadas are annual and others are on a 17 year cycle. The reason for the long 17 year cycle ones is because it allows them to outlive most of their predators, thus when they come out, bug-eaters have no idea what to do with them.
The annual ones have some sort of bitter taste to them (I have no idea, I just repeat what I have read. Apparently Monarch Butterflies and Ladybugs have the same bad taste.) so they've evolved past the need for a long cycle. Predators don't want to eat them.
Speaking of awesome nature facts, anyone else obsessing over "Planet Earth" on the Discovery Channel?
Between the giant cicada infestation footage, a polar bear attacking (and losing to) a walrus, twelve lionesses taking down an elephant, and a freaking one ton shark jumping 30 feet in the air to take down a seal, this is most action packed nature show EVER. Every week, you're guaranteed at least 3-5 animal vs. animal fights.
Are they bad in the city at all?? i'm 28, and i don't recall much cicada activity back in the day, growing up in Lake View.
I've heard they're not as bad in the city. But 17 years ago, I was a caddy at Oak Park Country Club. I can tell you from grim experience that they were bad there. You couldn't walk across a fareway without stepping on a few dozen. And the drone was nigh unbearable.
My coworker and I were just discussing cicadas and then I see this. I read somewhere (and no, I refuse to go find it again) that it depends if the soil has been tilled or messed around with recently which would kill all the eggs/babies/nits - whatever. So if you live near new construction - it's likely there won't be so many, but if you're in an older section of the city where there is less new development - there will be cicadas galore. To the tune of 1-2 million every acre.
Fancypants--If you live near a park, or if you live in a neighborhood that is mostly single-family homes with yards, it can be bad.
I think I read somewhere that places with lots new construction won't be as bad because the dirt has all been dug up and displaced. I might have imagined that though.
I remember these from last time. The shells were 6-7 inches deep in some parts of the streets.
And maybe it's because I live a mile from the nearest tree, or possibly because I grew up in the middle of BFE, but I sort of find the sounds of cicadas soothing.
Not a wedding, though.
i was 8 years old when the last cycle of cicadas hit, and i lived in the country (basically), and it was the MOST AMAZING THING EVER! at least for a little kid who plays outside all day. it was just totally totally bizarre.
i'm getting really upset hearing from city people that they don't really remember this. that means there probably aren't very many here. boo. what could be more exciting than a plauge of insects? it really livens things up.
I grew up in NC, and I don't remember any hibernating broods, but we had the annual cicadas, and I LOVED to find their shells on trees. I collected them and made armies, but they were scarce, so it was special to see them. Sometimes I would hook them on the backs of people's shirts and wait to see if they found them and freaked out. (No, I don't have a boyfriend, why do you ask?)
So I'm kinda excited to see this emergence, even if it's gross. How long does it last?
They are really good in a stir-fry with cabbage and carrots!
Hopefully Green Zebra will put some of this "natural" and "local" cuisine on their menu this summer!
They are really good in a stir-fry with cabbage and carrots!
Hopefully Green Zebra will put some of this "natural" and "local" cuisine on their menu this summer!
I calculated it for 60625 and got May 30? Am I doing something wrong? Average mean temp in April is 4 celsius?
Yup, I know the 17-year are not the same as the annual and that they can create a mess. But since this is kind of an every year problem for me (though not necessarily crunchy underfoot), I'm not that wowed, I suppose.
Did you know that cicadas are the only insects that sweat?
The sound from a single male cicada can be as loud as 90 decibels, or as loud as a kitchen blender.
I can't wait for these suckers to get here. It's going to be so fun.
And delicious.
CICADA MANIA.
they're horrible, and yet very interesting. i was 10 and lived in park ridge last time they came up. they covered every tree truck in the neighborhood and left piles of dead shells everywhere. by the time they were getting ready to go back underground we weren't even phased by them anymore, just glad they were going back to sleep. if there are trees, there will be cicadas.
They are here!!! April 20, 2007 and they are emerging in Highland Park, our yard is covered with small holes, yuck!
I'm in Olympia Fields and the Cicadas are CRAZY here! We have alot of trees and we back up to the woods. My daughters do think they are very cool and I do too, as long as they don't land on me! They are getting louder every day!