The cicadas are coming!

Well, it's time for the 17 year swarmageddon on the east coast!

http://project.wnyc.org/cicadas/

Radiolab is kind enough to provide a handy-dandy cicada tracker map. I've done a bit of research on these fascinating little buggers. Several articles I've found say that these guys are edible! This intrigues me - after all, insects well outnumber humans. Many insects are delicacies in various cultures, and they're quite nutritious, with high fat and protein content (varies between different types). Many environmentalists advocate eating more insects for their abundance, and doing so may reduce the need for eating livestock, which is quite destructive environmentally. With all that in mind, once cicadas emerge in Boston (they have not yet) I may break down and try eating them as a way of putting my money where my mouth is in terms of environmentalism and eating habits. It sounds like there will be more than enough of them. That one article claims they are fine raw (just remove the wings) and they can be cooked in many different ways.

Oh my goodness, Wolf Bird, if you eat any of them you must be sure and let us know how they taste, etc. I have read articles about certain insects being eatable, etc., and if I was stranded somewhere with no other food around completely, I have to admit that I might be forced into giving it a try simply to sustain life, but other than that I will pass on this. I remember when I first began watching the tv program "Survivor" and they had people on there eating bugs, etc. Some of the people were able to eat them and some weren't. These were huge bugs too. Needless to say, that is the LAST time I watched that program ever.

But I also remember as a kid eating a little dirt sometimes and shale rocks, I think you call it and I seemed to survive that fairly well. Why, I don't know, it was a stupid kid thing.

Also regarding the cicadas, sometimes they get very loud when they are in this area. Scared me really good one time when I first heard them.

I remember the Brood X swarm from 2004. I lived in urban Maryland at the time. Oh my goodness, their noise was deafening!

Good luck with this brood, wolfbird! I'm not opposed to eating insects, but if given a choice between eating meat or insects, I'd probably just go without. If you do decide to roast a few cicadas, let us know how they turn out!

It was 80 degrees in Boston today. And it's supposed to be warm the next couple days. As cicadas emerging are triggered by ground temperature, I expect them soon if this warm trend keeps up.

Just wondering if the Cicadas are still there or have they moved on or died down by now, and did you ever try eating one of them Wolf Bird?? I was reading an article this morning about some giant asian mosquitoes that are close to New Jersey, I think it was, and it mentioned the cicadas which brought them back to my mind.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52291171

They have not yet emerged in Boston, actually.

During recess in first grade, I remember freaking out when I first saw a swarm of cicadas here in Cincinnati back in 2004. When they do come back around here (which, from what I understand, will happen in 2021), I'll be sure to at least try to eat one (keyword being "TRY"), just to see what the fuss is about.

By the way, has anyone ever caught sight of a blue-eyed cicada?

Somehow we managed to escape getting them around our house (thank goodness!). I went to visit a coworker in the next town over to grab some files from her a few weeks ago, and her front yard was crawling with them. They were hanging off her shrubbery, littering her walkway...one was even climbing up the door as I stood there waiting for her to answer the doorbell. Not gonna lie, it was kind of gross. Especially when they started buzzing around my head. It was a little bit better when I went to fill out an invoice at the village hall a couple miles south of us, but still...ick.

Get ready, they are coming back! Almost time for the cicadas to arrive, if they haven't already. Read further to find out which areas they may be in this year:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/billio ... cid=AARDHP

As I never saw any in my area last time around, I hope to see them this year. And maybe try eating them, which I did not have a chance to do last time around.