A Few Fun Facts about Cicadas...

• Female cicadas cut grooves in tree limbs and lay their eggs there. When eggs hatch, the young cicadas feed on tree sap. Eventually the larvae falls to the ground and digs in to eat roots.

• Depending on the species, they live in the ground from 2-17 years, emerging as nymphs. The nymphs climb anything available and shed their exoskeleton, whereupon their wings spread out and bodies harden. Now they are adults, and in a 1 month long life their sole purpose is to find a mate and start the cycle over again.

• Cicadas are edible. Some say they taste like almonds.

• Cicadas can be LOUD! Some species scream at 106 decibels.

Sources: cicadamania.com and https://extension.illinois.edu/insects/cicadas

17 YEAR CICADAS

When it comes to nature sounds, there’s nothing like the shrill scream of cicadas announcing the hot, dog days of summer. I’m not predicting the weather, but get ready for 2024. According to experts, this May & June we’re about to experience the largest emergence known anywhere when a brood of bulging, red-eyed insects will emerge after 17 years out of sight.