17 year cicadas

[robo mantis]

You guys ready for the big swarm? I've never lived through one but hear its bad. But i'm realy excited to get all the free food for my mantids.

 

[Rick]

I grew up in Illinois and never got to witness one. The yearly cicadas even got pretty thick in the summer too.

 

[robo mantis]

Yeah they are supposed to start within the next 24-48 hours i'll get pictures when they start going everywhere.

 

[Ian]

Ship me some over!

I have never seen one in the flesh ^_^

 

[robo mantis]

Lol i'll try :wink: They come out with no mouths! they don't need to because all they do is mate, lay eggs, and die. But they will be around over a month :shock:

 

[Ian]

Awesome stuff.

I would love to see an outbreak of them.

The only outbreak I have seen over here is an outbreak of slugs when I have left the hose on in the flowerbed.

 

[randyardvark]

your forgetting wasps at theend of autum and ants in summer, i want to see cicadas full stop, do they sing loud?

 

[robo mantis]

Yes they sing loud and there is an estimate of 4 million per acre!!!

 

[Ian]

Oh yes, the wasps.

4M per acre? you will be shipping me over a few hundred!

 

[Ben.M]

Man they look cool 8)

 

[robo mantis]

Yep thats what we'll see for a month.

 

[robo mantis]

Yes!!!!!! They are supposed to arrive this week!!!!!!

 

[Rick]

Just read up on them and the 17 year kind didn't occur where I lived in Illinois. We had the annual cicadas just like we do here.

 

[robo mantis]

Yeah my area have a big spawn of them (rememeber the 60 mantis eggs i had)? I hatched them all and released them they will feast.

 

[robo mantis]

WOW ok i went to my aunts house and millions are in her yard i must have 70 cicadas and her dog couldn't stop eating them :lol: . I hear people have so many they are eating them (even cooking them on the grill). They said the cicadas taste like walnuts because they ate off the tree roots while in the nymph stage. I will get pictures soon. They arn't as loud as a thought.

 

[OGIGA]

Wow, that's nice. I don't think I've seen them around here. What region are they in?

 

[robo mantis]

the east and part of midwest

 

[robo mantis]

Here are some pictures (many died overnight).

The Bachelors pad

Also while hunting yesterday i found a pair mating and i gave them their own jar.

 

[Ian]

Nice photos Mark

Stunning little creatures.