Ha!

We had cicada Po-Boy last weekend, which was inspired by a soft shell crab Po'Boy!

Regards,

Ramon wrote:Considering that I have read that 1% have blue eyes, and I've examined some 5000 cicadas, I'm either the unluckiest person in the world or the experts are full of hooey. Or maybe I've just looked at the same 99 over and over.

-ramon

In the good news and bad news department, a a six year old kid in Downers Grove found your blue-eyed cicada. On the other hand, the article quotes it as a "one in a million chance," which would make you no longer the unluckiest person in the world.

Do you think that photo is for real? I'm just asking.

-ramon

Sex and the Cicada ... the first coupling witnessed this season:

LTH has always had excellent food porn ... now we're veering into insect porn?

Great photo.

With Mendel looking over my shoulder, I'm betting that any offspring will have red eyes. Any takers?

Nice pic C2.

[And is Hammond as good with Photoshoppe as he makes it look?! ]

Geo

Geo wrote:With Mendel looking over my shoulder, I'm betting that any offspring will have red eyes. Any takers?

Sorry Geo, please go back to Genetics 101.
I'm assuming that red eyes (let's call it R) is a dominant trait. That means each bug could be carrying one gene for an alternate color (say b,o or w) and you couldn't tell if they're RR, Rb, Ro, Rw.

If both are hidden carriers of another gene, you will have 25% of the offspring with a different color eye: Rb x Ro = RR, Rb, Ro, bo.

So, I won't take your bet.

So he has a 75% chance of being right? No bet.

Aw shucks, you guys are toooo smart. In any case, the variants evidently aren't Mendelian, since they occur in only 1 % of the population--just has to be multi-factorial.

Maybe LTH should select them for different tastes? :^) [Although Mendel didn't select his peas for taste, he did mention in one of his letters that he'd found a particularly tasty variant and had kept its line running. ]

Geo

http://www.lcfpd.org/docs/Magicicada_info.pdf

The cicada coupling has been going strong in my yard for the past week. The kids are still unnerved by them. We were at the Homewood Fine Art Fair on Saturday and the air was punctuated with screams as the cicadas flew into unsuspecting patrons of the arts.

My good friend Kim drove down on Saturday to have lunch with me from Hoffman Estates. When she walked up to my door, she asked, "What circle of hell do you live in? And what did you do to deserve it?" It's really, really loud in my yard. A friend who rides the train with me and lives across the street from the Izaak Walton preserve in Homewood says it is quiet as can be by his house. . .

Suzy

David Hammond wrote:

One can only hope that when the giant cicada finished consuming the comtemplative-looking Mr. Hammond, she shares with us the recipes and pics.

-ramon

Like the dryads’ charm, the song of the cicadas lured me ever deeper into the forest. One tree tried to warn me,

but his voice was deep, drowned out by the call from above. I became confused, caught in a melody I could not decipher with lyrics beyond my ken. I soon became parched

and found myself perilously lost, confused by

primitive technology. I went that-a-way

and, just in the nick of time, I met a lovely forest sprite, who led me happily home.


-ramon

Ramon has to be the world's finest cicada photographer. Is there a medal for that?

nr706 wrote:Ramon has to be the world's finest cicada photographer. Is there a medal for that?

I must agree. Ramon, these pix are inspired.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:I must agree. Ramon, these pix are inspired.

Wholeheartedly agree, incredible pictures.

I think Ramon's photography secret, if he has one, may be the fact he speaks to the cicadas in pirate voice

I have really enjoyed the cicada postings. Ramon -- your photos are great. I think a wayward cicada hit my windshield as I was driving out to Naperville the other day. Otherwise, I have not seen a single red- (or blue-) eyed creature. Thanks to all for letting me share in the invasion.

-Mary

Hi,

Last week I distributed to friends cicada chocolate chip cookies. It appears few were eaten, though many were circulated as show-and-tell souvenirs to be discussed.

My favorite was the Grandmother who wrapped her cicada cookie like a delicate jewel, then mailed it to grandchildren in Boston. There apparently was a riot when it was opened, then the kids raced to the phone to call Grandma. Of course, they didn't eat it because it was saved for, what else, show and tell at school.

Cicada cookies are the gift that keeps on giving.

On the events board is a new poster hoping to dine on cicadas. It is not too late to join in!

Regards,

G Wiv wrote:
I think Ramon's photography secret, if he has one, may be the fact he speaks to the cicadas in pirate voice

I limited this practice only to those on my shoulder. I quit that yesterday. I gave a hearty "aarghh" to to a cicada that perched beside me. He screeched back so loud, he scared the pirate right out of me. Actually more of a loud chatter than a screech, but very jarring, especially as it had never happened before and I've had enough experience to be jaded as to their behaviors. The song was distinct from what you usually hear.

More later ...

-ramon

The 'spouse accidentally imported one from work in West Evanston the other day. We assumed it was dead, until we heard an unearthly sound in the car (like it somehow had stacks of miniature aluminum cans it was crushing) and realized its belly was twitching.

We released it, poor thing, no hope of a mate in SE Evanston.

-ramon

Why can't I get any cicadas? We've got lotsa old trees here, but no bugs. Does anyone know what causes them to appear in one locale and not another? When I went to my Mom's last weekend in Glenview, they were screaming like crazy.

nr706 wrote:Why can't I get any cicadas? We've got lotsa old trees here, but no bugs. Does anyone know what causes them to appear in one locale and not another? When I went to my Mom's last weekend in Glenview, they were screaming like crazy.

It's a real puzzlement to me as well. I live smack in the middle of 3 different forest preserves and we have yet to see cicada one here on the northwest side.

I heard that they have to have ground temperature of 64 degrees to wake up. If you're cooler by the lake, or even shadier than some other place equally far, they won't wake up until the temp is hit.

My 7 year old twin girls are in love with the cicadas (they havent eaten them because dad is too much of a wuss), but they love playing with them. We have tons of them now in Lake Forest. Every day they are louder, and the girls cant wait to go on a walk to an open lands area where i found them swarming low. christina talks very matter of factly about the ones that are mating, and was even kind enough to point out yesterday that there were 4 of them together. I left them in peace, though I was a bit curious about the boy/girl ratio. Sorry, no pics.....insect porn is one thing, kinky insect porn is too much.

-Will

-ramon

Aaaahhh, the shame. In my weak desperation to keep the cicada train rolling I have resorted to using the kid, props, and even sex. The prose has been lacking, hopefully something soon.

For those who have yet to hear the cicada din I recorded some better audio than before here.

The cicadas actually have several different songs. I hope to collect the others soon. Time is short!

Oh yeah, and here's a way to listen in on a live mic in Glenview here.

-ramon

I’d say the cicada population peaked on my beat this week. Driving down Cumberland / Irving/ Des Plaines / Lawrence, one had to close the windows or tolerate a carload of squaking, flying cicadas.

I observed two young men pulled over on the side of the road. One stood back cautiously, while the other tried to shoo the cicadas out with a coat hanger. I thought of helping them and calmly lifting the insects out of the car, but it was too much fun to watch.

Later, I laughed at two teenage girls waiting for a bus, as they were barraged by flying cicadas. The look of fear on their faces was priceless. Yet, when I got out of the car a block later, I screamed like a little girl, diving back inside. There were more cicadas flying about crazed than I had ever seen before. I watched in fascination as thousands swarmed around my windows, seeking ingress. It was terrifying, and I loved it.

I’ve actually gotten quite used to having cicadas crawl all over my body. Still, I don’t like it when they climb on the back of my neck, and of course that’s where they seem to like to go. I’ve noticed some people have taken to wearing hoodies up, even despite the heat, to mitigate this problem. Even now it feels like one is crawling back there.

Cicadas are notoriously poor flyers and I’ll never get used to them bouncing off my face, fluttering in my ears, or crawling behind my glasses. While it would be nice to have a pic of a cicada crawling on my eyeball, I don’t think I’m going to pull that off.

I’ve done some research as to why cicadas are in some areas and missing in others and have found no reasonable explanation. I’ve seen no cicadas at the house where I grew up in Lincolnwood despite the fact that I remember them distinctly 34 years ago. The only thing I remember about cicadas from 17 years ago was Steve Dahl’s parody song, set to the tune of Gloria, but my dad remembers their presence then. I’ve checked the LTH picnic site several times and came up empty there also.

The “experts” keep saying the ground needs to be long undisturbed, there needs to have been a previous population, and the soil needs to rise about 64 degrees (at what depth?). Many areas meet all these qualifications and yet still no cicadas. And yes, I have been walking around poking a thermometer in the ground. I’m sick of the experts.

I mentioned Steve Dahl, so I might as well mention that his son Matt ate cicadas (and then threw up) every night on his show the week ending 6/01/07. It’s funny if juvenile. Podcasts are available here.

When I was doing the “metamorphosis” shoot I attracted a group of Japanese tourists, high-tech cameras in hand. I was shocked to meet them so deep in the woods and even more shocked that they didn’t know anything about the cicadas. I lectured them for some time on the wily ways of the cicada and they were a rapt and fascinated audience. Of course, I’m not sure how much they really understood, and their only verbal response to me, often repeated, was, “you crazy.” They must have taken 10,000 shots to my hundred, excitedly encouraging each other in Japanese. When I went to leave, they stopped me, seems they were actually lost, and needed a guide back to their cars. I regret that we did not exchange email information – if would have been cool to see the pictures they got with all that fancy equipment they were toting – too bad that didn’t include a compass.

After seeing the same group of Asian women fearlessly collecting cicadas in shopping bags, I decided to approach them. They did not want their pictures taken but I did record my interview which is pretty much drowned out by the cicadas. I learned that the women were from Viet Nam. They like to eat the cicadas but it was as much about medicine as food. They claimed eating cicadas kept them young. They stir fried the cicadas, sans wings, with garlic and any handy vegetables. Not everyone in the family ate them, some were afraid, but most did. They were freezing many of them for later consumption and also shipping them off to relatives all over the world. I asked if they ever tried to get them when they first came out of the ground and they said they were never that lucky. They were charming people and for a while I helped them in their gathering enjoying their language and laughter.

I’ve mentioned before that now, when I pick a cicada up, I cannot count on their previous docility. Many will chatter in protest, defiantly demanding release. You can hear this protest chatter here.

Much has been said about the cicadas’ randiness. Listening to the experts, I had assumed all this congress would take place at the top of trees, not right on the sidewalk. In truth, I was happy to see it. I felt sorry for the cicadas that did not or could not master flight and thought they’d be left out of the fun. And so many imaginative positions! I’ll spare you more pictures of this for now, but in the interest of science, I will show what I assume to be the aftermath:

It looks to me like the back quarter of the female’s (or male for all I know) thorax has been torn off, leaving a white, unformed area. I’m guessing this is where the eggs are developing.

I fear we have reached the crescendo soon to be followed by the dénouement.

In conclusion, I would like to say, with all sincerity:

Bring me the blue-eyed cicada or this guy gets it!

-ramon

By now, I suspect, most people fall in one of two camps: those that have not seen cicadas and those that are sick of them. I know that just a mention of the bugs around Mrs Ramon causes a glower and a Marge Simspon like noise of disapproval.

My devotion, though, is unwavering, and the tale, is not yet done.

Most importantly lets return to the matter of the imperiled cicada above.

Presto …


Clemency granted.





This was the first cicada I’ve encountered that was an unwilling model. She flew away from me four times while I was trying to shoot her. I ran out of time before I got a pic I was happy with, put her in a cup, left the woods, finished my errands, and headed homeward.

I had picked out a temporary residence for Ms Blue Eyes:

where I thought she’d be comfortable for a day or two before returning to her natural environs.

Alas, happiness, as life, is fleeting, and she died before I ever got home. I can only hope that she deposited her eggs before she met me. It would be an ulimate irony if I was the cause of even fewer blue-eyed cicacas 17 years from now. It was only fitting to give her a proper burial.





The End?

-ramon

I sent Catherine Savage (Communications Specialist, Lake County Forest Preserves) a link to this thread, and she responded:

Different songs: there are actually three species of cicada in this Brood:
Septendecim (most common) sounds like air rushing out of a pipe in chorus, and something like "Kuhhhhhhh-oh" individually.
Cassini sounds more like our annual cicadas: "chchch chhhhhhhh!"
Septendecula, which only is known to occur in the southern part of Cook County, sounds like a lawnmower starting up: "chuh chuh chuh chuh-chuh chuhchuhchuh chhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
So - different calls = different species. LISTEN HERE:

http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fauna ... adaspecies

They are virtually indistinguishable by sight, but easily told apart by call. Each species will mate only with others with the "right" song. Also worth noting, only the males make noise. Missing their back end.

Ramon, what you've got there is a cicada with an STD. There is a fungus, Massospora cicadina, that comes out at the same time as the periodical cicadas do. And yes, only every 17 years. Ponder that for a minute. Anyhow, the fungus is transmitted during mating. It's not uncommon. I've seen many, many with it.

Cicadas in New Mexico or Montreal... Periodical cicadas only occur in the eastern half of the United States. Annual or dog-day cicadas occur all over the world. Whatever Bill's dog had, it was not a periodical cicada (or Bill is not in NM?) and Geo will have to travel to see any. BROOD MAPS HERE:

http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu:80/pr ... roods.html

Blue eyed cicadas. Less than 1% of all periodical cicadas have eyes a color other than red. Of those, a small percentage have blue. Chances of finding a blue-eyed periodical cicada are about one in a million.

Bunches of official info here: www.LCFPD.org/cicadas. And for those of you with emerging nymphs, your input would be very appreciated on www.LCFPD.org/cicadamap