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I did, though, simultaneously, start hearing about the pros of the strangely slow-flying, large, and almost prehistoric-looking butterfly wannabees, so I thought I'd dig a little deeper. Pun intended.
Dr. Gene Kritsky, a leading cicada expert and entomologist from the College of Mount St. Joseph University, said that Cincinnati typically sees emergence after two days of temperatures in the low 80s and a "soaking rain."
Because of lower temperatures this spring, the April-May timeline shifted a little later. I started hearing them in mid-May in central Ohio.
According to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, "the first person to track and document the life cycle of the 17-year Brood X cicadas was Maryland scientist Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), a free Black man who did not receive credit for the remarkable find."
Since then, history shows that scientists have used many different methods for research and tracking, from ads in papers to postcard mailings, phone calls, emails, and now apps.
Without a doubt, people east of the Mississippi have an opinion or experience with the red-eyed bugs, but is it all bad?
Good
Starting at the beginning, when cicadas come up from the slumber in the soil, they open up the earth, aerating it.
Their bodies are also full of nitrogen, so when they die, it goes into the soil, benefitting our plants. So in a sense, cicadas leave plants healthier than when they arrived.
Like most bugs, they are also an abundant food source for wildlife. Birds will feast on the cicadas—they are easy pickings since they normally crowd trees when they emerge anyway, making birds healthier and happier, and the bird populations will increase.
Scientists suggest that if you have chickens or other fowl, they will probably be very happy about the emerging brood, and your feed bill will probably be quite a bit lighter in the bargain (you can even freeze some cicadas for later).
But, make sure the chickens have plenty of grit, which accumulates in the gizzard and can help them digest the tough exoskeletons.
"This is also true of the mole population," according to the Cincinnati Inquirer article. "This is why mole activity has greatly increased in recent years in the areas where the cicadas will emerge.
After the emergence, the population of moles that have it so good in recent years will naturally decrease. I can personally attest that our pup has caught quite a few of the critters, and I formerly had no idea there was a connection between the two.
Finally, using the app cicada-tracking app, yes there is one called cicada safari, kids and families can have a fun summer project to promote learning and family entertainment. The app has hundreds of thousands of downloads and users loading pictures, videos, and personal accounts. This also allows scientists to track the cicadas never before available as it can show migration, trends, life cycles, and more.
Bad
The Cincinnati Enquirer is blunt about its opinions on cicadas. "They are ugly and loud."
While waiting at the bus for the kids, their chorus was so loud I had to yell to my neighbor. Ironically, researching the little buggers, the males are the only ones who make the ear-rattling noises, of course, to attract the females—their main reason to surface from their underground caverns in the first place.
"Female cicadas make slits in the branches of trees to lay their eggs," according to my research, which seems terrible, especially in older trees. However, "this usually causes only minor damage; the trees will drop off the small, injured branches themselves - a process called "flagging."
In young trees and shrubs, particularly fruit trees, the damage might be more severe, resulting in stunted growth or death."
"If you have any plants with netting over them like fruit bushes, new trees etc. the nets can accidentally collect the cicadas causing them to be weighted down and subsequently break off branches, etc. damaging the plants," The Enquirer said.
"As cicadas don't bite, sting, and are non-toxic, they won't pose a threat to pets, livestock, or people. However, you may have to keep an eye on animals like dogs and cats that will want to chase and eat them. Munching on a few of the tasty, crunchy insects should be fine, but if eaten in large numbers the exoskeletons can cause GI upset in cats and dogs," the Oak Springs article read.
Ugly
Clogging pools is a big ugly in Ohio. I've seen tons of pictures of the waterparks and friends' pools with full bug drains. Also—barefoot at a pool isn't appealing to walk around and see the squished bugs.
The beaches near us, like state parks, are also disgusting. The bugs that have landed in or around the water washed up on the shore. There is now a barrier between the sand and the water you have to wade through to get to the water, and even then, there is more floating since there's no filtration system.
Tracking them into your house is also gross. I can speak from experience that my daughter has found them in her boots on the porch, and I know I squish them on the way to the door. I hear the crunching. However, I will say though this has encouraged me to leave my shoes outside, something I need to do more of anyway.
I'm going to put the fact that they are edible under the ugly category because, no way. Sometimes called "tree shrimp," people eat them and found various ways to serve them up, like fried, dipped in chocolate, or added to smoothies, yes, all suggestions I found. I will wait another 17 years to see if my mind has changed by then.
One last item of note, don't treat cicadas with pesticides - this will only end up harming the domestic and wild animals that will feast on the insects.
Resources:
https://www.osgf.org/blog/2021/5/10/what-to-expect-from-brood-x
Cicada Safari app—download where you download your apps on Apple or Android devices
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2021/04/06/cicada-brood-x-17-year-how-affects-yard-plants-benefits/7096077002/
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.28.2021 12:41 |
| Story ID: | 412022 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Attack of Brood X, by Michelle Young, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
