The Song of the Cicadas!

The Song of the Cicadas!

While I’m fairly confident the “Song of the Cicadas” will not be a new HBO series, this fascinating insect has made quite a splash on the east coast of the United States.  For the past two weeks the chirping has been never-ending. Mix that cicadas chirping with a couple of crickets and you have insect Woodstock!

The sounds we hear are the mating call of the male cicadas. The cacophony of sound is indescribable. The bugs emerge very 17 years to mate. Then the adults go to cicada heaven and their offspring burrow into the ground to hibernate for the next 17-year cycle.  While the experts opine that the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is not prime 17-year cycle Brood II mating ground, I am fairly confident the loud chirping I’ve heard for the past two weeks is local.  I find the chirping soothing, like a nice white noise.

So, here are a few images of these amazing creatures. And note – I’d rather have the breeding cicadas annually than even one influx of stinkbugs!