Call it a Tragical History Tour
One more musical tour that’s going to be more or less skipping A2: the every-17-year cicada infestation will have a less than “impressive” turnout in Tree Town. “It’s not the actual ’singing’ that is poignant but the chorus,” the Saginaw News points out. Sounds like any number of indie-rock outfits with plaintively off-key lead singers we’ve heard. Having spent most of the summer of 1987 indoors, we’re going to disregard MSU entomologist Fred Stehr’s suggestion to see the squishy, smelly, beady-eyed insects (hey, also could be indie rock!) at one of their gigs in Ohio or Indiana.
First of all, that is weird. I mean, really weird. I understand why a lifecycle might be 17 years, but why is it that *all* of them share the same life cycle? Why don’t some of them come out in year 1 not to be seen again until year 18, others in year 2, not to be seen again until year 19, etc.
But also, I used to walk my dog at Sherwood (?) Forest, and there were a helluva lot of them there in the summertime. Down near the water, you couldn’t even carry out a conversation with someone because the sound was so deafening. And this happened every year…
posted by Anna on March 27th, 2004 at 12:50 pmWell, there are mini-infestations, one of them a couple years before the main one. That year, I thought they were really cool, but when 1987 rolled around, I just wanted to avoid the disgusting things.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on March 27th, 2004 at 12:56 pmyou say cicada, i say secada, jon. yikes, late 80s flashback.
posted by Sara on March 27th, 2004 at 2:34 pmThere are many different types of cicadas and they’re all on different cycles; some shorter than 17 years. They all overlap, which is why we hear cicadas every year. I think the only reason they’re writing @ this one is because it’s the longest cycle. Although a cicada tried to drill a hole in my finger last year, I still like them; I think they’re very pretty and interesting.
posted by Laura on March 27th, 2004 at 5:16 pmThe idea of having a cicada on my finger in the first place, much less trying to drill a hole in it, makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
posted by Anna on March 28th, 2004 at 9:41 amWell, it got trapped between my screen and regular door, so I as picking it up to put it outside. I was looking at it for a minute, and noticed that it was poking my finger with its needlelike mouth. It got put outside in a hurry. My understanding is that they live on tree sap, which is why they have such a formidible mouth-drill-thing. Still one of the more interesting and pretty insects, I think.
posted by Laura on March 28th, 2004 at 1:45 pm“…there were a helluva lot of them there in the summertime. Down near the water, you couldn’t even carry out a conversation with someone because the sound was so deafening.”
Frogs. Those were frogs. They’re amphibians that mate and lay eggs in the water, and make a lot of noise going about it.
And they look cute on your finger if they’ll stay put–like an emerald engagement ring.
posted by detrOIt on March 29th, 2004 at 9:43 amFrogs, cicadas, whatever. If Bush is elected for another four, we won’t have to worry about either of them.
posted by Anna on March 29th, 2004 at 12:15 pmClearly, if you’re too stupid to know the difference, you’re already not worrying about them.
Here’s the facts, George W. Bush owns stock in a company that makes crutches for three legged frogs. Anybody who knows anything about frogs knows how fucking terrifying that is. And Cheney is all ensnared in some secret 17-year maturing bond fiasco. When the bonds disappear, they’re going to blame the cicadas for carrying them off, claim it was a “plague” of them. Republicans, my friends, do not know the difference between locusts and cicadas. Do any of you? Were you there when they fought it out at the Admin. building in 1969? And if you don’t know about the frogs either, you are a danger to yourself and others. You are a big part of the problem.
posted by torONTo on March 29th, 2004 at 4:08 pmTrue, I don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about the subtle differences between frog and cicada songs.
I was served locusts once, so I’m pretty familiar with them, and I’m quite confident that I could identify them by sight. They look quite different from frogs and cicadas, especially when served over a bed of rice and washed down with some Great Wall beer.
I’ve heard frogs are quite tasty. Don’t know whether cicadas are edible or not.
Hope this helps.
posted by Anna on March 29th, 2004 at 4:53 pmThey really do taste just like chicken (frogs that is).
posted by Alex on March 29th, 2004 at 7:46 pmCicadas are without a doubt the most disgusting insects on the planet. When they are out in their 17-year cycle in my area, you cannot walk from your house to your car withoug encountering hundreds of them. And just try to escape into your car without a few tag-alongs! It totally creeps me out.
posted by whoever on March 29th, 2004 at 10:28 pmFor me, most disgusting goes to mayflies. I went to a camp once while they were out, and they literally covered every surface, then died on them. Wiping an inch-thick layer of dead insects off of picnic tables is not an appetising activity.
posted by js on March 30th, 2004 at 9:13 amjs
Oh no. I thought its just the east coast problem.
posted by __earth on March 31st, 2004 at 3:57 amDon’t tell me Annarbour has this pest too!
I’m pretty sure that tent catipillars are the most disgusting plague on the E. Coast. I’ve never noticed mayflies, but one year when I was a kid the catipillars were everywhere — you couldn’t go anyplace without stepping on them. It makes me twitch just thinking about it.
posted by Anna on March 31st, 2004 at 5:35 pmWe used to feed tent caterpillars to ants. They’re all over here too.
posted by js on March 31st, 2004 at 6:39 pmjs
Er… caterpillars. Ugh, eaten by ants. Worse. Ew.
posted by Anna on April 1st, 2004 at 11:11 amIn case any of you are still interested, Cicadas are edible. I’ve never tried them (and don’t want to), but here’s a link to a page with some recipes — enjoy!
http://www.urhome.umd.edu/newsdesk/pdf/cicada%20recipes.PDF
posted by Joe on May 28th, 2004 at 12:20 am