Cicadas

[Chere.]

Seen them in real life, as we have them where I live during summer. Been hearing them a lot lately now since we've been having a heat wave this whole week. A few weeks ago when it was a little cooler though, my brother and I found one that was being quite still on our driveway. I didn't want us to accidentally run over it with the car or anything, so I tried to see if it would move. It was so still that my brother and I weren't even sure it was alive at first, but I managed to kind of flick it with this piece of wood and it flew away. I kind of screamed because that's not something I wanted to do and I'm scared of a lot of bugs, but I wanted it to go to a safer place ksefkdg. My brother may have judged me for the yelp I let out, but I don't know how much he can judge when he wasn't willing to get close to it.

 

[nightglow]

We have cicadas every year. Some years there are more buzz shrills than others. I never really seen cicadas until moving where I live now. They are often in the trees or on the ground close to death or dead already. Birds and squirrels really like them.
My cousin's dad use to collect cicada shells in jars. I don't remember if he cleaned them first or not. Some people like collecting them and some people like to buy them in resin or in fake terrariums for decore. I saw one lady online put googly eyes on them and little stick antlers. I found them cute.
Before they come out of their shells they are called nymphs. I saw my first nymph this year, but it was during the daytime and died soon after. It was weak and seemed kinda confused. They normally emerge at night. They are very cute, but I wouldn't handle them. Only the shells.


Since I have these in my yard, I'll share some pics and a little bit more about them.

Spoiler: Shells in wild.

They are found on trunks, limbs, and under leaves and usually have mud on them. The white strands are old breathing tubes (if you can see them).

Spoiler: Cleaned shells and a Cicada

These are shells that I cleaned. They aren't perfectly cleaned, but the majority of mud is off of them. I kind of just swished them in soapy water and then plain water. Shells don't rot so rubbing alcohol isn't needed unlike the full bug. I thought my spouse would want them for a craft project he wants to do. Turns out he is horrified by any bug (I thought he only didn't like scary the ones he doesn't even like butterflies according to our intense fellowship that day lol ) do I plan on burying them in my garden this fall since I found alot of them.
The cicada was found on the ground and is frozen and will also be buried. I thought I'd show him here because people sometimes mix up locusts and cicadas and they come in different colors anyway.


Though I wouldnt call myself a bug person, there always been a few bugs I really like such as moths butterflies bumblebees ladybugs and wooly worms but I have to say animal crossing has opened my mind a little bit more about bugs and I feel a little more neutral towards them.

I still hate centipedes with a passion and I don't think that will ever change.

 

[LadyDestani]

I forgot that I did see a recently emerged cicada last summer. I was walking my dog at night and he stopped to sniff around the base of our trellis. That's when I noticed a cicada perched on the trellis right next to a shell. I didn't want to disturb or disorient it so I left it alone, but it was really cool!

 

[VernalLapin]

Cicadas are quite plentiful where I live. I believe I’ve seen a shell before,

Spoiler: :(

but I see them dead more often.

On a more wholesome note, my uncle got me a picture book about a cicada when I was little, called Cecily Cicada. He wrote a note that went something like “look out your window, you won’t see Cecily again until you’re such and such years old.” I was and still am amazed at how long they sleep away!

@MiniPocketWorld I felt that about cute bugs vs centipedes. Eugh those many-legged monsters are so disgusting…

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

I LOVE the sound of cicadas!!!! I think I might have seen one in person once? Honestly not sure.

Animal Crossing definitely gave me a newfound appreciation for them.. although now I see them a little differently (spooky) after watching the TV series From. I still love them though They just sound like summer.

 

[idiotdoomspiral]

We dont have any cicadas around here (apparently the last and our only native species was spotted in the 1990s and never again since.... perhaps planning a full-scale takeover decades in the making) but sometimes my bf calls me on his walks and i can hear em wheee wheeeeing everywhere at the moment. A couple days ago he told me that one barged into his room slamming itself on every surface and object it could making a loud thud everywhere it went until it got caught in some cobwebs so he could grab it and let it outside once more. Was probably clawing to find a mate in this process. Very funny

 

[xlisapisa]

I don’t like insects and are not very fond of them. Some are very interesting to look at (from a distance) but I will never purposely go near or touch one. I’m very squeamish around them. I think the last time I’ve seen cicadas was back when I was younger living in Maryland. They were everywhere, I had to ride the school bus during that time and dreaded the walk to and from the bus stop just because they were literally everywhere. I believe I’ve seen some cicada shells lying around on the ground and on the trees. That was the worst time, their sounds also freaked me out. I haven’t seen a cicada swarm like that in awhile though. That probably happened in like 2004, give or take.

 

[Nunnafinga]

Geez,the darn bug isn't even in there anymore.I have one more wretched cicada recollection: When I was a kid our family dog was a grouchy poodle mix named Zeppo.He used to eat large quantities of cicadas then subsequently barf them up minutes later.Ah,the memories......

 

[Lazy_Chad]

I think most people here would know what cicadas are due to animal crossing, but they are bugs that emerge from the ground after so many years and shed their shells. They fly around and eat tree sap. Males make a buzzing shrill noise while females don't. They come in various colors.

Have you ever seen a cicada in real life? Have any stories?
Have you ever found a cicada shell? Would you be afraid to touch a cicada shell?

Did you know there are over 3,390 species in the world? New ones are discovered each year.
And white strands on the cicada shells are the old breathing tubes.

Have any pics?

I made this thread because I keep finding them outside the past couple of weeks. Right now we have green ones.

I LOVE those big guys!!! I've saved a couple from our pool and they are so cool-looking! I like their robotic mouths.

We also hear them regularly in the summer months, and even sometimes into fall.

Post automatically merged: Sep 20, 2023

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Geez,the darn bug isn't even in there anymore.I have one more wretched cicada recollection: When I was a kid our family dog was a grouchy poodle mix named Zeppo.He used to eat large quantities of cicadas then subsequently barf them up minutes later.Ah,the memories......

BLECH!

 

[Stella-Io]

Apparently my state has 19 different species living here

I only hear them during the hot afternoon hours in the summer and I know exactly where they are cause they appear there every summer. They hang out on a walking trail a few blocks from my house, I can go walk down to the trail and hear them within like ten minutes of being there. Despite hearing them alot I've never actually seen one in person, or a shell, thou I do stay away from the trees when I hear them.

It would be cool to see one irl but I am not gettin close enough to the trees to find them. They're loud enough as it is.

 

[Lazy_Chad]

Apparently my state has 19 different species living here

I only hear them during the hot afternoon hours in the summer and I know exactly where they are cause they appear there every summer. They hang out on a walking trail a few blocks from my house, I can go walk down to the trail and hear them within like ten minutes of being there. Despite hearing them alot I've never actually seen one in person, or a shell, thou I do stay away from the trees when I hear them.

It would be cool to see one irl but I am not gettin close enough to the trees to find them. They're loud enough as it is.

Awwww. They're harmless! They just sound larger-than-life!

 

[nightglow]

Awwww. They're harmless! They just sound larger-than-life!

I don't mind going near trees where they are at, but when they are on the ground. They always fly at me and I'm afraid they'll "bite" with their tree sucker to scare me away or whatever.

 

[Lazy_Chad]

Are cicadas dangerous? Busting myths on the harmfulness of the noisy pests.

Cicadas are a nuisance, but that doesn't mean they're dangerous. Here's what to know about the harm to you and your yard before they arrive this year.

www.usatoday.com

Yep! Totally harmless.

 

[sleepydreepy]

i live in texas and we get cicadas every single year in the summer. they are extremely loud and high pitched, but im so use to it now i dont even notice. i had my friend visit from out of state and she thought there was a siren outside or something but it was just the cicadas lol

 

[Lazy_Chad]

i live in texas and we get cicadas every single year in the summer. they are extremely loud and high pitched, but im so use to it now i dont even notice. i had my friend visit from out of state and she thought there was a siren outside or something but it was just the cicadas lol

That's crazy! I thought they were everywhere! (I live near Buffalo, New York.)

 

[nightglow]

That's crazy! I thought they were everywhere! (I live near Buffalo, New York.)

Maybe thier friend has different cicadas. Different cicadas have different sounds.

I looked up some Texas cicadas sounds and they sound very different than the cicadas where I live. I don't think I would like cicadas if I lived in Texas.
Where I live they sound like This. The lady stops talking at 53 seconds.

 

[Lazy_Chad]

Yikes! Yeah, Buffalonian cicadas are SIGNIFICANTLY more mellow.:/ Those sound like ALIENS!

 

[Envy]

I'm sorry, but I'm not a fan. I have a phobia of insects. They just disgust me and I will freak out if one touches me. Cicadas are no exception. I am especially creeped out by them, in fact. The sounds they make, the awkward way they fly around. They scare the heck out of me when one flies anywhere near me. lol. I can't wait for the weather to cool down enough that they disappear to whatever hellhole they go to for the cooler months.

I'm a lot like Brewster in this regard. Yes, even for cicada shells. Ewwwwww.

I'm sorry for the negativity. Like with other insects, I try to respect their right to live and I leave them alone. I have never hurt a cicada, and hope to never have to.

 

[Lazy_Chad]

I'm sorry, but I'm not a fan. I have a phobia of insects. They just disgust me and I will freak out if one touches me. Cicadas are no exception. I am especially creeped out by them, in fact. The sounds they make, the awkward way they fly around. They scare the heck out of me when one flies anywhere near me. lol. I can't wait for the weather to cool down enough that they disappear to whatever hellhole they go to for the cooler months.

I'm a lot like Brewster in this regard. Yes, even for cicada shells. Ewwwwww.

I'm sorry for the negativity. Like with other insects, I try to respect their right to live and I leave them alone. I have never hurt a cicada, and hope to never have to.

Don't apologize!XD You like what you like and have a phobia if you have a phobia!