Oh…wait, there is no joy!

But, they are back in our region. When I open the door, I can hear the call of millions of them.

I haven’t seen all that many in the yard, but have seen some of their ugly skeletons.

For those of you that don’t have them, I found these delightful pictures on the web:

And the beast itself:

Some say they can be eaten as a delicacy, but I’m not sure what would ever prompt a sane person to even try…sounds more like a double-dog-dare-you for 4th graders.

As far as the RR goes, they basically leave holes in the ground as they emerge. Or try to. I found a few trying to come from beneath my buildings when I moved them to perform some maintenance.

Anyone else experiencing the “joy”?

Nah. Had the “pleasure” of that experience 34 and 17 years ago. I’m hoping they’ve “done their thing” for the most part when we head back east later this summer. While there aren’t many things that will keep Andy away from trains, big ugly bugs are one of them. (For that matter, they kinda creep me out, too…)

Later,

K

Bruce Chandler said:

Anyone else experiencing the “joy”?

Not yet, but it’s still early. Stink bugs haven’t been as bad either.

Plenty of “stink bugs” around here

No Cicadas so far.

Ralph

And they keep coming…leaving their shells behind…

Here’s one on my bucket coaling station:

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/thejoat/Misc/IMG_0835.JPG)

You boys in the East just keep your little bugs to your selfs. I have enough problems with the deer we don’t need no stinking bugs. LOL

Chuck Inlow said:

You boys in the East just keep your little bugs to your selfs. I have enough problems with the deer we don’t need no stinking bugs. LOL

…

Like Chuck… WE don’t have Deer but Egrets and Possums. You guys can keep your stinking bugs there. lol

I agree, keep them to yourselves. Cicadas don’t like pine trees do they??? Hopefully they don’t!!

FYI Cicadas are very close relatives to crawdads, shrimp and lobsters, and people do eat them. Supposedly they are best if “collected” as soon as possible after they molt and before they harden, much like a “soft shell crab”

Yuck! Keep them back there…

I’m told this is the year, again. I last saw them in NJ (17 years ago, I guess.)

The dog next door used o eat them and then throw up on the road. I didn’t try one.

I stopped them from stripping the trees [they lay eggs in the tips of branches then bite through the branch so it falls to the ground] with sticky tape left over from the last gypsy moth infestation. They had a lot of trouble climbing back up the trees!

Still none here yet. Not looking forward to it. Don’t remember anything unusual here 17 years ago. We have seen small numbers of them in recent years. Maybe we aren’t in a hot zone.

Jake Smith said:

I agree, keep them to yourselves. Cicadas don’t like pine trees do they??? Hopefully they don’t!!

Naw, we have those big black pine beetles that de-rail trains. And when they fly, they can’t navigate very well and often smack you right in the head!

We had cicadas when the boys were little. At first they were afraid of them. Then Susan showed them that the chickens love to eat them. For the rest of the infestation, they were happily throwing them to the chickens. They layed REAL good that year.

Well, if they hit this area, I’ll be sure to fill the terrarium and give the big box to the oldest daughter who likes to go to the farm with her ‘pop’ grandfather (both of the inlaws think they are too young to be grandparents, so its mimi and pop).