The Cicadas are coming!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

The cicadas are coming, and some may become ‘flying saltshakers of death’

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/04/20/cicadas-2024-emergence-fungus-mysteries/

That is quite the healine: "Flying Saltshakers of Death"

Not since Thomas Jefferson was president has this happened in 1803.

This spring and summer, people in parts of the American Midwest and South will get to experience a numerically magnificent wildlife event: a rare double emergence of periodical cicadas. With the arrival of Brood XIX and Brood XIII, trillions of harmless, baby-carrot-size insects will be singing their hearts out from Wisconsin to Louisiana, Maryland to Georgia, and many places in between.

The last time these broods co-emerged, the year was 1803, Thomas Jefferson was president, and the Louisiana Purchase had just been completed — which means many of the states where cicada love songs will soon fill the air were not even officially part of the nation yet.

As impressive as that is, this year’s entomological phenomenon will be extra-special for researchers hoping to unravel the evolutionary mysteries of bugs that only crawl out of the ground in roughly 13-year and 17-year intervals.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Do not take if you are allergic to Secada. NT

[CurtEastPoint]

2. John Secada

[SleeplessinSoCal]

8. Very funny.

I've no idea how I misspelled it. Especially after reading two articles.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. I post from a phone. I'm not surprised by imaginative spelling.

That’s not what I said!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

11. I post from my phone as well.

It changed "misspelled' to 'missed', even using predictive text. It's become very entertaining.

[Blues Heron]

3. more than roughly 13 and 17 - its exactly 13 and 17 years. There is no doubt when the next hatching will be.

AI written?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

5. it's the double emergence that makes it news worthy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/01/26/cicada-brood-map/

[Blues Heron]

6. im commenting on the word roughly.

Its exactly, not roughly. I get that its the rare double emergence.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

7. I'm thinking horror movie now...

these two are so geographically close that they may overlap and interbreed in some of the woods and fields near Springfield, Ill., a potentially exciting rarity for entomologists.

“And what will be the cycle of the new cicadas? We will have to wait to see,”

[Blues Heron]

9. i would love to see a new brood form, maybe a 7 year or something.

or maybe an extra long rip van winkle type brood - 40 years.

[ms liberty]

4. Cicadas.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. First the eclipse; now this. End times for sure.

Or just nature taking it’s course.

And good evening.

[Beringia]

13. Here is a pic of one from Berwyn, Illinois today

[SleeplessinSoCal]

14. Wow! How do they sound?

When do they make all the noise? When in flight? Parked on bark? Mating?

[Beringia]

15. Their chorus

I think they make their song in unison up in trees. You only see one here or there flying. They do it parked on the bark as you say, or maybe in the leaves high up on the trees.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

16. I've heard them once in New Mexico about 40 years ago.

But it was memorable.