The Cicadas Are Coming - To A Tree In The Hudson Valley Near You!!!

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Get out your earplugs - the 17-year cicadas are back!

Unlike the common cicada which appears each year during the dog days of summer, the 17-year variety spends most of its time underground. The batch now emerging was last seen in 1979, when female cicadas laid their eggs in tree limbs. The eggs hatched and fell to the ground and the young nymphs burrowed below the surface, some as deep as eight feet, where they sucked the sap of tree roots for nourishment.

Although scientists still haven't a clue as to how, these cicadas can count yearly cycles and after 17 years the insect burrows back to the surface, climbs into trees and shrubs and starts the whole process over again. Once above ground they shed their skins and harden into maturity. And they mate, and mate and mate!

It's this LOUD ritual that makes them not only fascinating, but annoying. The males emit a metallic whining sound to attract a female. And because the insects cluster into large colonies the sound can be overwhelming. One insect alone can be heard a quarter of a mile away. A colony can drown out the sound of a lawn mower.

The cicadas sing from dawn to dusk, which can not only cause headaches but can also drain the nerves of anyone living in spots where the insects have chosen to gather. The only reprieve from the noise comes when the insects die, which is about two weeks after they emerge from the ground.

Before they die, however, the females cut slits in tree branches and lay anywhere between 500 and 1,000 eggs, which hatch within a few weeks.

Oh, and one other problem -- the stench from decaying cicada carcasses has been compared to Limburger cheese.

T he thick black bugs, which measure about one-and-a-half inches long, have iridescent wings which seem too small for their bodies and bulging red-orange eyes. And they're considered a delicacy for birds and humans alike. Rumor has it they're especially good (minus wings and legs) battered and deep-fried or stir-fried with vegetables.

The 17-year cicadas are found in the United States east of the Great Plains. New York is expected to see its fair share, especially through the Hudson Valley into upstate. Colonies are expected from New Hampshire down through North Carolina.

And don't worry - the insects don't bite or sting. Just be ready with some good earplugs if you live in a wooded area where the insects decide to take up residence.

Credits:

Cicada painting courtesy of Katherine Klein

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