Aside from all the other things 2021 will likely be remembered for, I didn’t want the cicadas to be forgotten. I know we’re only a mere four months in and so much more is bound happen, but cicadas are not to be upstaged. As I thought about this post, I wasn’t even sure how much of a ‘thing’ cicadas are nationally or globally. Well, turns out there a site called Cicada Mania to answer all the burning questions you never knew you had. If you don’t want to go crazy, here are just a couple fun facts that I found interesting.

1. There are more than 190 different kinds of cicadas in North America, and more than 3,000 around the world.
2. The different cicada species have any of three different life cycles – annual, periodical, or protoperiodical. The ones we are excited about right now are Brood X (Great Eastern Brood), emerging every 17 years after being underground
3. When they emerge, they shed their exoskeletons and then get to work looking for a mate. The females will then lay eggs and the whole cycle repeats itself with them growing underground. Pretty fascinating.
4. There’s A LOT of them. Like Billions. It feels like one of the plagues. I lived in Maryland in 2004 and this was the first exposure I ever had to them so I’m curious to see if we get carpeted with cicadas again.  I’m not exaggerating when I say there was a layer of them on my car, the ground, everywhere!
5. They are LOUD. Different species have been recorded at more than 100 decibels. To give a reference point, a jackhammer, tractor and garbage truck are also 100 decibels loud.

Something I didn’t have in 2004 that I have now is chickens. Yup, I could and probably should rent my chickens out to my neighbors to clean up the cicadas.  They LOVE them!  Did someone say cicada omelet???

Do you have cicadas where you live? Ever dipped them in chocolate?  I’m sure they are a great source of protein.