Missouri is experiencing the 13 year cicadas, a bug that spends its adolescence underground, just to emerge 13 years later. The last time we saw these critters: 1998.
There are actually a 13 year and a 17 year brood. It seems that the 13 year brood is the dominant one. The next time these two broods will overlap is 2219. Yea.
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| Missouri 13 year periodic cicada |
I remember summers in Marceline where the sound of cicadas meant that summer was full in swing, that it was night time and mom would be calling us in. I remember tanning in the yard with the drone of cicadas lulling me to sleep.
I also remember thinking that the shells were pretty cool. I am sure that was due to my Uncle Jim, who always appreciated what nature gave us and pointed things out to my sister and me all the time.
Truman and Wilson are fascinated with them and try to eat them. When I looked them up, they are not poisonous to animals but it might make their tummies hurt.
Is it like the Old Testament plagues? Don't all novels have that line "the hum of the cicadas...," especially Southern novels. They're not very pretty, though I am sure the shell is cool. Hope that the pups learn not to eat them.
ReplyDeleteThese have always scared me a little bit. We don't have them here in Arizona!
ReplyDeleteTerri, don't think we have them here....we have everything else! I am not a bug person. Ha.
ReplyDeleteWill ask Ron about this.
Happy weekend, Terri. Thanks for your dear comment.
Barb
I have never heard of these Terri. My sister, Paula, told me that her dog LOVES to eat June Bugs! The turkeys they raise eat June Bugs also!! Have a super weekend!
ReplyDeleteOurs are visiting us too!!
ReplyDelete*shiver*
Love,
Sue