They're back
While tooling through central Pennsylvania over the weekend, I heard over the radio and air conditioning what I thought was a squeeky, roaring sound from under the hood. What else could it be?
As soon as I opened the car door, it was obvious that the noise wasn't the car. It was the return of those bizarre looking 17-year cicadas, commonly referred to as locusts. Their singing was so loud, it sounded like a car breakdown. I pulled into a driveway and the gentleman whose house it was just rolled his eyes when asked about the serenade.
Hundreds of the vacant shells littered the bases of trees, and the emerging flyers landed on me and my camera. Now, I know they can't hurt, sting or bite, but it's still a creepy feeling as they crawl up your leg.
And they're expected here soon. But according to cicadamania.com, and the Penn State Agriculture Extension Office, York County will suffer through (celebrate?) a lighter 'emergence' of these bugs. Check the maps for complete information.
Angie · June 10, 2008 6:01 PM
This picture makes me dislike cicadas even more than I already did:)
Jo Ott · June 10, 2008 10:27 PM
WOW! Great photo.
Mort Kousen · July 27, 2008 7:57 PM
The eyes really grab you! Very nice composition. What macro lens did you use?
Mort
Bil Bowden
·
August 4, 2008 6:13 PM
Thanks! Used a 105mm macro with an extension and two flashes. There were so many of the cicadas on the ground they were crawling on me. They are totally harmless, but it's a creepy feeling, having them crawl up your arm... We expected an 'outbreak' of these around here this summer, but it didn't happen.
bil