Cicadas

[isilzha]

Anyone else having fun with the cicadas that are coming out? After weeks and weeks of hearing the Chicago Tribune talk about them I finally found some out in front of my house today. They make for some pretty neat photos too. As soon as I saw them in the tree I ran into the house to get my camera. I remember last time they came out, I think I was 6 or so. I wanted to make sure to get some good photos of them so I can remember them for the next 17 years.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='isilzha' post='1282906' date='May 28 2007, 09:03 PM']Anyone else having fun with the cicadas that are coming out? After weeks and weeks of hearing the Chicago Tribune talk about them I finally found some out in front of my house today. They make for some pretty neat photos too. As soon as I saw them in the tree I ran into the house to get my camera. I remember last time they came out, I think I was 6 or so. I wanted to make sure to get some good photos of them so I can remember them for the next 17 years. [/quote]
I remember when a different batch came out a few years ago ... my local paper published cicada recipes.

Yes, you read that right: cicada recipes.

[chelsea]

We had cicada's here like two years ago. They come out every 17 years but i guess ours are on a different schedule! they were horrible. i loathe insects. There was a constant buzzing for the entire summer because they just took over everything.

[isilzha]

Last time they came our dog at the time liked to eat them. Right now there aren't enough of them around to see what my dogs will do.

[Norseman82]

All I know is I planted a dwarf apple tree last fall and I spent a few nights last week covering it up with burlap and coagulated milk cloth, since cicadas will plant their eggs in twigs.

And I do remember getting hit by one at 35 mph (or so) riding down one of the roads cutting through the local forest preserve; they do pack a punch!

And yes, Abby, last week a local chef was talking about a recipe for fried cicadas.

And when did you say you were stopping by for that [url="http://www.snappytomato.com/sounds/snappycicadapizza.mp3"]pizza[/url]???

Edited May 29, 2007 by Norseman82

[MIKolbe]

what is a cicada?? what do they do?

pardon me.. i am from southern ca.

[isilzha]

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada"]Cicada[/url]

These cicadas come only every 17 years at different times around the country.

[url="http://catholicgop.blogspot.com/2007/05/invasion-of-cicadas.html"]Here's my photos[/url]

[Norseman82]

[quote name='MIkolbe' post='1283128' date='May 28 2007, 11:47 PM']what is a cicada?? what do they do?

pardon me.. i am from southern ca.[/quote]

They are insects that live underground and come out every 17 years for a month or two to mate and then die (and make a lot of noise while they do so).

[Didymus]

yeah wrapped a few of our younger trees today, but we did it with that wedding veil material.

and about the recipes, one of the radio stations was looking for someone in the area who might have already found a good beer to go with cicada. and one of the country clubs near my house had 'all you can eat cicadas' on their sign. People sure are gettin into it.

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Didymus' post='1283141' date='May 29 2007, 12:00 AM']one of the radio stations was looking for someone in the area who might have already found a good beer to go with cicada.[/quote]

And what beer came out on top? (I'm going to keep bugging you until you tell me, and do you know if it gives a good buzz?)

Edited May 29, 2007 by Norseman82

[ofpheritup]

We never tried eating them.

HOWEVER, if you collect the "old skins" after they shed and put them in someone's shoes they make the greatest sounding CRUNCH when the person puts their shoes on. Or under a seat cushion.....

I was a tomboy as a teenager.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

They pretty much invaded my college last week and part of the week before... there were parts of the campus where you couldn't walk without stepping on them. Now that I am at home, I have not seen nor heard one! I think part of it may be due to the fact that my college is a registered arboretum, and my house is not. But they are fun to look at though, even the shells and sometimes the flattened ones on the sidewalk or road. They are pretty ugly when they first get out of their shell though...

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='ofpheritup' post='1283278' date='May 29 2007, 02:10 PM']We never tried eating them.

HOWEVER, if you collect the "old skins" after they shed and put them in someone's shoes they make the greatest sounding CRUNCH when the person puts their shoes on. Or under a seat cushion.....

I was a tomboy as a teenager. [/quote]

Why didn't I ever think of that?! You're awesome!

I'm the weird person who actually kinda likes the sound of cicadas. And frogs. And crickets. Yep, raised in the country. Man, I miss being in the country all of a sudden!

[isilzha]

Heard them a little bit today. I bet it would be fun to walk around in the forest preserve.

[iggyjoan]

they arnt here. they wre supposed ot be but...