The 17-year cicadas are here!

[foxtail1]

It's been 17 years, so I guess it makes sense that I had forgotten how darned many of these things come out of the ground! We're only 2 days into this and it's already amazing. One of my dogs is eating so many cicadas that she's not eating any dog food. The koi are very happy. And I'm happy, since the noise hasn't started yet.

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[retiredfromlife]

I remember when I was young we would also get that many, but alas we only see a few now.

You are very lucky

 

[Danny.]

How neat is that. Love it. Wonderfully taken as well BTW.

All the best, great shots.

Danny.

 

[PakkyT]

My favorite is the last shot.

 

[mfturner]

Nice, as a little boy I remember thinking that they sounded like a flying saucer. Alien invasion!

 

[LilSebastian]

Very cool! I lived in St Louis MO for some years. I was amazed how loud they can be as a group. In sync as well like an insect orchestra. Maybe grab a video and put it here when they start singing.

 

[mp10s]

We don't have them here (yet) but I found some photos from back in 2004 in DC (maybe not the same brood?)

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[Hayath]

Wow! That number is impressive

Get cool images.. really liked freshly moulted ones with their yellow coloration

 

[foxtail1]

We don't have them here (yet) but I found some photos from back in 2004 in DC (maybe not the same brood?)

I think yours will be back next year, as ours are brood IX. The map on this page looks like yours are brood X. I'm in SW Virginia, near Blacksburg.
https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/where-will-17-13-year-periodical-cicadas-emerge-next/

 

[mp10s]

Maybe I'll have to travel to SW VA then, been meaning to plan a backpacking trip anyway That map also shows some brood X arriving a year early (this year?) but I assume that's a much smaller number.

 

[foxtail1]

Maybe I'll have to travel to SW VA then, been meaning to plan a backpacking trip anyway That map also shows some brood X arriving a year early (this year?) but I assume that's a much smaller number.

Yes, there are usually a few the year before and a few the year after. I don't remember seeing any here last year, but I didn't look.

Today, for the first time, I hear the noise starting on the mountains. But the emergence is still just beginning. I'm in the national forest in Montgomery County, and ours have been coming out for about 5 days. But in Blacksburg, only ~15 miles away, they're not coming out in any numbers yet. (B'burg is at 2,000' elevation- I'm at about 1,600' and that may have something to do with it.)

Lots of beautiful places for backpacking around here. They've just reopened a lot of places that were closed, and, of course, the Appalachian Trail is always open.

 

[mp10s]

I was considering the Wild Oak trail later in the summer, that's a bit further north from you. Do you know if the brood reaches that far north? (I haven't done that trail in 15 years!

mickey

 

[ex machina]

My folks from SW VA (Roanoke/Blacksburg area) haven't mentioned them yet, but then they've had an awful lot of rain, too? Looks like you've hit the jackpot -- going to try to stir fry some?

 

[mp10s]

going to try to stir fry some

I forgot about all the recipes that were circulating! I havent actually tried any. Have you?

 

[foxtail1]

I was considering the Wild Oak trail later in the summer, that's a bit further north from you. Do you know if the brood reaches that far north? (I haven't done that trail in 15 years!

mickey

That's 100 miles north, or close to it, and I think that's out of the range. You'd do better heading down toward Mt Rogers or the area in NC below that.

 

[foxtail1]

My folks from SW VA (Roanoke/Blacksburg area) haven't mentioned them yet, but then they've had an awful lot of rain, too? Looks like you've hit the jackpot -- going to try to stir fry some?

Yeah, I've definitely got them ahead of the folks in town. I walked about 3 miles around Blacksburg yesterday (which is just ~15 miles from my house) and I did not see a single cicada.

No to the stir fry. I'll let my dog continue to chow down and I'll continue to keep my koi happy, but I'll stick to the food in the fridge.

Oh, and yes to the rain! We had over 5" in 48 hours last week, and over an inch last night.

 

[ex machina]

I forgot about all the recipes that were circulating! I havent actually tried any. Have you?

I have not -- I have had grasshopper tacos, which were indistinguishable from carnitas, no doubt due to the seasoning/prep. Cicadas supposedly taste like shrimp, and anyone who is allergic to shrimp would also be advised to skip a cicada meal.

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

Great. 2020 just added swarms of cicadas to the list, which already included a global pandemic and murder hornets.

So that makes the 4th seal from the book of revelations if my count is correct ?

 

[drd1135]

I haven’t I seen them yet, but we have had a lot of rain.

 

[Avondale87]

Amazing
My thoughts are what crops do they devour? Or are they not that way inclined?