quote:

Originally posted by ohma:

quote:

Originally posted by Flora Klok:
Mr. Klok has a good heart too. I'll be hearing the excuse for the next 6 weeks that he can't mow the lawn for fear of chopping up the cicadas. They were all over and around our big front tree after the rain yesterday.

If I remember correctly from the last time around, fear of chopping up the cicadas can only be used during their emerging. Once they are up in the trees, Mr. Klok's mowing may have some of the female cicadas confused. The whirring of the lawn mower may sound like a male cicada's mating call.

So what you're saying is that the female cicadas may try and mate with him while he is mowing?

Well, they're out of the ground — buckets of them.

Armies of them, on their march to the trees.

On my walk this evening, I saw the grass moving, and if you listen closely, you can hear the rustle of their combined movements. This is just the beginning. We had a dozen per square foot. What we'll have tomorrow is anyone's guess.

Moonlit cicadas. They'll be adults by the morning.

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On their way up:

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Did I mention we had buckets of them?

You think they were out in numbers at 10pm? Wrong. I stayed up all night. The cicadas know how to party, I'll tell you that much. Billions and billions (Carl Sagan ref.). But after a while, they had to get down to business.

At 3am, all those teenage cicadas do this...

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5 hours later, the skin turns dark, wings poof up and harden, then they are off to do what they've been waiting to do for 17 years... GIT-R-DONE!

That's the spirit GESince1958! Incredible photos. Keep up the good work. And get some sleep!

please translate? Git-r-done...?

Thanks for the great photos of the cicadas and Glen Ellyn fair. I showed these to the kids and they were impressed. They were wondering if you were a professional or if photography was your hobby.

Last night some Glen Ellyn kids were on Fox news eating some live cicadas with the reporter. Girls and boys all smiling as they chewed and swallowed the bugs for the camera. They said they tasted like almonds.

I have still not seen any in my yard...hopefully they can wait until tomorrow so the girl scout party will be un eventful.

quote:

Originally posted by GESince1958:

That's a great picture.

quote:

Originally posted by GEmom2:
Thanks for the great photos of the cicadas and Glen Ellyn fair. I showed these to the kids and they were impressed. They were wondering if you were a professional or if photography was your hobby.

Thank you. My pleasure. I'm just a hack with some photo stuff. Not a pro. Too much work being a pro.

Cicadas aren't done yet. More documenting to do.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mrsspeechlady:
Last night some Glen Ellyn kids were on Fox news eating some live cicadas with the reporter. Girls and boys all smiling as they chewed and swallowed the bugs for the camera. They said they tasted like almonds.


I'll bet they were Trailer educated.

I think you meant Mobile Educated on Wheels School educated!

We still have none in our yard. The scouts were outside for quite a while and no reports of any cicadas.

The cicadas will be a treat compared to the mosquitos which just chewed me up in my yard this A.M. Boy do I hate mosquitos!!!! Maybe the cicadas will eat the mosquitos. That brings up a question. What do cicadas eat? I don't think they eat the trees-just drill holes to lay eggs-Right?

I think the neighborhood dogs are barking at all the activity. They (the dogs)seem to be going wild around our place. Still haven't heard much song, but more and more sidewalk carnage each day.

Speaking of other things entomolgical - anyone else notice all of the crickets singing along the RR tracks? Wonder what that's from. We may be facing a coordinated attack on all buggy fronts!

We haven't seen ANYTHING out here yet. No evidence of cicadas... and me and the boys were kinda looking forward to this.

I really appreciate that on the main menue, this thread title appears directly above "Cupcake recipes". YUM!

WOW! My yard, and the plants in it are COVERED with cicadas!
I have empty shells and adults stretching out. Some of the plants are completely covered.
Even the lawn is full. I have been avoiding walking on some areas so I don't squash them.
They aren't talking yet. I go out to see if I can hear any-but still quiet.

Here is a tasty little tidbit:

"Experts say that the best way to eat cicadas is to collect them in the middle of the night as they emerge from their burrows and before their skins harden. When they are in this condition—like softshell crabs—they can be boiled for about a minute. It is said they taste like asparagus or clam-flavored potato."

Also:

Question: There are supposed to be cicadas in my area. How come I don't see any?

Answer: You won't find them in everybody's back yard. If you don't have many deciduous trees in your neighborhood, you probably won't find any. Pesticides, construction, extreme weather conditions and tree removal are also factors. There are no guarantees.

Why are these idiots attracted to the sidewalk? You gotta answer for that, Ring?

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
Why are these idiots attracted to the sidewalk? You gotta answer for that, Ring?

Concrete stays warmer, longer in the evening?