Rendezvous with Nature – Return of the Cicada
About Holte EnderHolte Ender will always try to see your point of view, but sometimes it is hard to stick his head that far up his @$$.
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The periodical cicada, which is often mistakenly classified as locusts, comes from the genus magicicada of brood 19 or “the great Southern brood.” They are well-known for their distinct rust-colored eyes and their buzzing love song calling for a mate. In the coming weeks the 13-year cicada will emerge from it’s slumber.
The last time this species of cicadas made an appearance was in 1998. When they emerge, a total of 20,000 to 30,000 can come up from under a single tree, according to the Forestry Commission.
The life cycle begins when eggs are laid on tree branches which later hatch after six to seven weeks. The “nymphs” or young cicadas drop to the ground where they burrow into plant roots which they feed on, and the 13-year cycle restarts.
The female cicada can lay up to 600 eggs, which can harm the branches, but mature trees do not suffer long-term damage.
The synchronized the cycle of the cicada is remarkable, they all come out at the same time. Under the cloak of darkness, they pull out of their last skin and leave that shell that many people are familiar with,. That shedding of the skin officiates the insects’ maturity. They then fly into the treetops, sing, mate and die. Periodic cicadas are native to the eastern United States.
The sound cicadas make come from a special membrane on their exoskeleton located on the sides of the abdomen called tymbals.
Read about the history of the Periodical Cicada HERE
greenlight
April 30, 2011 at 11:14 am
Others may know cicadas for their “love song,” but I recall them, and not all too fondly, from my first exposure to the annual cicada in Illinois–and specifically, the one that had somehow found its way into my home.
For those who haven’t experienced cicadas, they are more meaty-looking and full-bodied than your average mammal, so stepping on this monstrosity would have felt about as ruthless as stepping on a mouse–not going to happen (though cicadas, admittedly, don’t have the same cuteness factor working in their favor).
This left “trap and release” as my only option since, unlike the occasional spider, simply “letting it be” also was not going to happen.
I have no problem with nature, and can typically handle bugs pretty well, but feel no loss of pride in admitting that I had let out a little shriek when I first encountered that thing. Eep. (shudder)
Four Dinners
April 30, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Sing, mate and die eh?…..Bit like human males really…Drink beer, mate and die….;-)
BigHarryH
April 30, 2011 at 5:12 pm
I am already hearing them. Quite a sound.