Cicadas

I asked B tonight if it felt like it was summer or close to it. He responded with a no and we began the discussion of why. For me, it's the missing cicadas and lightening bugs. B, being the researcher he is, looked up a little info on cicadas. Allow me to drop some knowledge on you.

Cicadas usually come out in July or August when the days are hot and very humid. Have you been to Georgia? That is basically the definition of summer. Cicadas are divided into two types; annual and periodical. 

Annual cicadas (also called dog day cicadas because they come out during the dog days of summer) have a typical lifespan of 2-5 years. Every year, when the temperature is warm and the humidity is right, they come out of the grown to shed their outer layer and continue to mature. They feast on leaves and plant juice. They are the ones that sing their songs every year in the back yard.

Periodical cicadas are pretty neat. They only emerge from the ground every 13 or 17 years depending on their brood number. They will also come out earlier in the year when the temps hit 64 degrees. Georgia is expected to receive their next periodical cicadas in 2017 which will be brood XIX. This year the Mississippi River Valley is receiving a brood and our family in Oklahoma and Missouri are receiving their 13 year brood. From the sounds of the articles, these particular cicadas are smaller than the annual ones and actually make a different noise. 

So there. That's why it isn't summer yet. I took a peek at the temps this week and we're expected to have temps in the 90's all next week. I think I'll sit on the porch and welcome our woodland neighbors.

-Me and B