Orange-Eyed Bugs (Cicadas) Are About to Assault the Midwest!
By Hart57
@Hart57 (359)
United States
May 26, 2007 4:35pm CST
After spending 17 years underground, cicadas have begun to emerge in parts of the Midwestern USA for their breeding season. After these orange-eyed bugs emerge from the soil and shed their exoskeletons, the males emit a VERY loud whirring sound to attract females. Scientists predict a MASSIVE swarm of them this year (perhaps as many as 1.5 million bugs per acre in wooded areas).
I was astonished to read about these bugs. Here in Southern California, we have nothing like them. I would love to hear from those of you in the Midwest who have experienced these creatures. I mean, apparently people eat them and swap recipes for cicada cookies and such! Yuk! You'll have to be over the age of 17 as their last breeding season was in 1990! And what about you in other parts of the world? Do you have cicadas or locusts that emerge in swarms every 17 years or sooner?
2 responses
@weemam (13372)
•
27 May 07
I live in Scotland and I am so glad we don't have anything like that , just the thought yuk , but I suppose we can get used to anything through time if we have to though ,
I am so glad the only last for a relatively shot time , And by the look of them I don't think I would like to eat them either , But I suppose people have eaten a lot worse and have lived to tell the tale lol xx
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11177)
• United States
27 May 07
we are in the Ozarks and set back in the woods a bit. I tell you what, the woods just seem to rattle with those things. Sure they may live 17 years of dormacy - but they do not all emerge on the same year. EVERY year is noisy with those creatures. After 7 years I can almost tolerate them now, used to be I could hardly sleep for the racket.
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