Scarlet Pimpernel

Female cicada laying eggs in a twig.

Cassinis covering a cherry tree... Cicada landed on my hand for a photo op!

The regular annual cicadas will be around come mid-summer! This week has definitely been the most active and loud (since the cold and rain last weekend), and I've seen very many flying around. There's cherry tree nearby that is covered with Cassinis, all over the branches, and singing up a storm! Pretty cool!!

They aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, that's for certain! I've seen them fly into telephone poles (and bouncing off), land in the middle of the street, etc. I guess there's a reason they emerge by the billions!!

I see. Totally understood the thrust of your argument there.

It sure "went down" fast, that's for sure!!!

Must be too old of a term for "making out". I think even @H2O might recognize it! But his lingo might go even farther back than that! Perhaps he can enlighten us on an equivalent Chaucerian phrase...

Beautiful choice of words there!

Uhhhh, errrrr....there are no words!!! RR might have some, though!

Mind the (weiner) gap!!!

"Sex trees"...LOL!!! Yeah, don't want them fornicating on your neck, either!!! Brings a new meaning to the word "necking"!!!

It's interesting, for the most part during the day it's just a general din that I hear. But listening closely enough, in some of the trees right where I am, I can clearly hear the distinct "Phaaaa-roooh" of either individual Septendecims or "smaller" choruses of them. When I'm outside I can also clearly hear the distinct "ssssssssszzzzzz" (sizzle/hissing) of the Cassinis right underneath several trees too. Kinda cool!

There's a couple of more wooded areas nearby me (though not like "deep woods" really). I noticed they were later to emerge in those areas, but they now are pretty loud there. I've heard that they "prefer" to be more along the edges of forests and woods areas, not so much way in a deep forest or anything like that. Maybe your area is just on the edge enough that you get them all but they aren't in the main wooded part.

Thank you!! Yes, a highly unusual year or so for certain. I'm glad that she was able to at least go back part of the time starting in April and see some of her classmates. And the graduation is outdoors tomorrow at the school stadium...hopefully any showers or storms will be more in the afternoon (though they have "rain dates" of Friday evening and Saturday morning)!

LOL! Yeah, now that you all mention it, the background din does sound like Star Trek phasers!! "Spock...set your cicadas on stun!!"

Many thanks to you both! Yeah, it will be strange with her gone (she will be going to U. MD starting this fall!). Ugh...college loans and paying for that, I've been navigating all that myself lately!!

I hear you on that, Mappy! I feel the same with my daughter...she graduates high school this Friday. No longer little anymore!

Same here! Like I said some time ago, I actually find them kind of fascinating, the whole 17 year life cycle and all that, and emerging by the billions. And the din of the singing I don't personally mind at all, for a couple or so weeks. LOL! Well, if your yellow Lab is yakking them back up, I guess that would be a veto rather than a vote!!!

Pretty cool! I've been recording some of the sounds, too. Have been able to hear it even inside for about the past two weeks...and the past week especially. You might be right about this week being the peak...after a couple of cool and rainy days on Sat/Sun, I noticed a TON of them around this Monday, even compared to the week prior (and the sound was especially loud then too).

Cicadas everywhere!!

I noticed a similar thing with the Cassini having a sort of wax and wane as you put it with the electrical/sizzling/hissing kind of sound. It's actually a bit less "shrill" or loud compared to the Septendecim ones it seems, but I can clearly make out the Cassinis around and in several trees. Interesting about their flying patterns too, that you noted. If I listen closely I can make out the "Phaaaa-rooooh" sound of the Septendecims among the general background din. ETA: I think I heard the Septendecula too the other day, barely...the rotating sprinkler or clock ticking kind of sound (like a "chick, chick, chick, chick" sound).

Ahhh, nice to relax over a good book! It's always nice to improve one's cranium through extensive reading, though who knows how one can read with no actual eyes or optic nerves. A fine drink on the side helps! I see the Reaper took the old Panic Room bar with him into retirement. A fine day for a Sunday drive. No cicadas here! Windows down, no watch list to worry about, no new tombstones to create! Life in retirement is good! Reaper's new job...posing for beach fashion magazines? (and...flip-flops??)

Ha!!! Bravo, and well done!!! All to real, it seems!!

Trees...fire...now what could possibly go wrong?1?!

They are out in force today, all over. And loud. Some plants are just covered with them. Even saw car tires with cicadas (probably not the best place for them to hang out!). I swear I saw a lot of "new" exoskeletons on trees that were not there the other day. I think some new ones have still been emerging. <math geek> Parallel cicadas. </math geek> And a face-off!