The Cicadas Strike Back: Brood X Reemerges after 17 Years

[Dakini]

What do they do other than make noise?

Well, first the noise pollution is completely terrible. Second, they leave corpses...everywhere, and those corpses while I am sure the animals love them...stink and squishy and go splat when you step on them and their guts get everywhere. Plus there is the joy of trying to keep the dog from eating them. And then they lay their eggs in wholes in plants that tend to do a lot of damage to those plants. And they tend to be big bumbling buzzy things that fly around and somehow or another seem to always fly right past your ear which is freaky.

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

[Dakini]

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

Another approach is to eat the cicadas. Tho' apparently they're not even fit for a dog.

In Japan the tanuki eat the larvae apparently. I assume that raccoons would eat some of them in North America since they're similar animals.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Could have been worse. Not knowing the situation, my mind went to these being nicknames for a criminal gang.

[Dakini]

In Japan the tanuki eat the larvae apparently. I assume that raccoons would eat some of them in North America since they're similar animals.

Well good for the racoons. If it's only every 17 years there's no danger of racoons breeding up and over-harvesting the larvae.

The larvae living in the ground? Or in tree bark?

In the ground among tree roots, apparently.

[Ifreann]

Don't we all dream of going outside to scream and fuck all summer?

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Don't we all dream of going outside to scream and fuck all summer?

Certainly 17 year old humans, if my memory serves.

[New Jacobland]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brood-x-cicadas-emerge-17-years/

After 17 years the largest cicada brood in North America will return. Over the next few weeks trillions of cicadas will emerge from the ground shed their skins and partake in a month-long mating ritual, making quite a scene — climbing trees and singing mating songs as loud as 100 decibels, the same intensity as a jackhammer. The broods range includes Delaware, Illinois, Georgia, Indiana, most of New York, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Michigan, as well as in Washington, D.C.

I remember when this happened back in 2004. I was at a event for my then future alma mater and the cicadas were everywhere. The reemergence is getting much media coverage. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) declared May and June “Magicicada Months” to honor the cicadas that take over the region every 17 years.

In his formal declaration issued Friday, the governor explained the interest and importance of the insects while reminding citizens that they are harmless.

Your thoughts on this rare event NSG?

I feel sorry for all the headache sufferers in the USA. I can't imagine the noise these will make.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Don't we all dream of going outside to scream and fuck all summer?

At least scream, yes.

[Ifreann]

Don't we all dream of going outside to scream and fuck all summer?

At least scream, yes.

Cicadas: [screaming]
Everyone leaving lockdown: Big mood

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

At least scream, yes.

Cicadas: [screaming]
Everyone leaving lockdown: Big mood

[Neutraligon]

Well, first the noise pollution is completely terrible. Second, they leave corpses...everywhere, and those corpses while I am sure the animals love them...stink and squishy and go splat when you step on them and their guts get everywhere. Plus there is the joy of trying to keep the dog from eating them. And then they lay their eggs in wholes in plants that tend to do a lot of damage to those plants. And they tend to be big bumbling buzzy things that fly around and somehow or another seem to always fly right past your ear which is freaky.

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

I didn't say they did not belong there, and I live where my job is, so I would have no choice.

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

Another approach is to eat the cicadas. Tho' apparently they're not even fit for a dog.

Oh the predators are going to have the time of their life. There are so many of them that they can eat to gorging and there will still be hundreds of thousand to breed.

[San Lumen]

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

I didn't say they did not belong there, and I live where my job is, so I would have no choice.

Another approach is to eat the cicadas. Tho' apparently they're not even fit for a dog.

Oh the predators are going to have the time of their life. There are so many of them that they can eat to gorging and there will still be hundreds of thousand to breed.

More like millions if not billions.

[Ifreann]

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

I didn't say they did not belong there, and I live where my job is, so I would have no choice.

Another approach is to eat the cicadas. Tho' apparently they're not even fit for a dog.

Oh the predators are going to have the time of their life. There are so many of them that they can eat to gorging and there will still be hundreds of thousand to breed.

Shout out to all the chonky predators we're gonna have later this year.

[The Alma Mater]

So, have republicans blamed Biden for this yet ?

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

So, have republicans blamed Biden for this yet ?

2004 George W Bush
1987 Ronald Reagan
1970 Richard Nixon
1953 Dwight Eisenhower

The 17 year cicada clearly coincides with the shittiest Republican presidents. Maybe Trump is actually president.

[Rusozak]

So, have republicans blamed Biden for this yet ?

2004 George W Bush
1987 Ronald Reagan
1970 Richard Nixon
1953 Dwight Eisenhower

The 17 year cicada clearly coincides with the shittiest Republican presidents.

"tHis pRoVes tHaT TrUmP iS sTilL pResIdeNt!"

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

2004 George W Bush
1987 Ronald Reagan
1970 Richard Nixon
1953 Dwight Eisenhower

The 17 year cicada clearly coincides with the shittiest Republican presidents.

"tHis pRoVes tHaT TrUmP iS sTilL pResIdeNt!"

QAnon KoolAid.

[Grinning Dragon]

I mean, don't live somewhere that has cicadas if you hate them that much?

They're part of nature and they belong there.

I didn't say they did not belong there, and I live where my job is, so I would have no choice.

Another approach is to eat the cicadas. Tho' apparently they're not even fit for a dog.

Oh the predators are going to have the time of their life. There are so many of them that they can eat to gorging and there will still be hundreds of thousand to breed.

The also make for good fishing bait. So I guess their existence has one positive attribute.

[Farnhamia]

Great, in 2024 not only do we have a presidential election but another cicada emergence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_XIII and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodical_cicadas

[Cetacea]

Cicadas are beautiful, the sound is incredible, the swarms are amazing.

I love picking the things off trees and watching the wings buzz

Another approach is to eat the cicadas. Tho' apparently they're not even fit for a dog.

Oh the predators are going to have the time of their life. There are so many of them that they can eat to gorging and there will still be hundreds of thousand to breed.

Resource pulses of this type have huge ecological impact, not only do the carcasses provide a nutrient boost to carnivores, they also help to fertilize and strengthen plant growth and those more food for herbivores too. Increase nutrients means increase breeding success across all lifeforms.

And cicadas can be eaten by humans too, harvest them when they shed their shells or prepare to hndle the crunchy bits (which can get caught in the throat - especially of dogs)

[Adamede]

Honestly kinda sad I won’t be there for it, one of nature’s greatest shows and cicadas are like the one bug that don’t bother me. Just harmless bumbling little horndogs singing their hearts out for a few weeks in search of love, I say god bless

(That said the dead ones and the empty shells from moulting are fucking revolting)

When I was little during the last brood my sisters would chase me around with those moulted skins.

[Postauthoritarian America]

Plenty of food for birds and insectivorous animals. I'm rooting for 'em.

[San Lumen]

Honestly kinda sad I won’t be there for it, one of nature’s greatest shows and cicadas are like the one bug that don’t bother me. Just harmless bumbling little horndogs singing their hearts out for a few weeks in search of love, I say god bless

(That said the dead ones and the empty shells from moulting are fucking revolting)

When I was little during the last brood my sisters would chase me around with those moulted skins.

Ugh. That’s awful. Sorry she did that to you.

[San Lumen]

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-envir ... e-emerging

Brood X will return in 17 years but now the annual cicadas have returned.

[Hhurria]

So, have republicans blamed Biden for this yet ?

2004 George W Bush
1987 Ronald Reagan
1970 Richard Nixon
1953 Dwight Eisenhower

The 17 year cicada clearly coincides with the shittiest Republican presidents. Maybe Trump is actually president.

Late take on this observation:

Biden is actually a Republican, and the GOP has stopped being Republican...
Biden is moreover a shitty Republican.

I dread to think who will be president in 2038.