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Cicadas - What you need to do now to prepare.
ANDERSON, IN. Brood X, sometimes known as "The Great Eastern Blood" Cicadas are expected back this May and June. from their 17-year life underground. If you can recall, the soundtrack of the summer of 2004, is set to repeat the summer of 2021. They cannot hurt you, or your pets. For small or young trees, you need to be prepared to wrap the trunk with a garden fabric preferably one made out of polyolefin. The insect emerges out of the ground in numbers upwards of a million per acre. This is part of the insect's strategy of survival, power in numbers. They do not intentionally invade your home, but you should be taking preventive measures of sealing up any cracks and openings on the exterior of your home.
The timeline of the first sighting will be dependant on the underground temperature, as it must be over 64 degrees in order for them to come out of the ground. We will see this upon the weather hitting the 80-degree mark for a few days in a row. We suspect this to happen around the 2 or 3rd week of May, as Indiana temperatures will rise with the onset of the summer season. This would also be a good time to think about your car, and check your air filter, and fill the windshield washer fluid. You will want a gallon or two in the truck of your vehicle. Be prepared to spend extra on car washes and power-washing your home this year if you have trees close to your home.
The sound you will hear from the insect is from the male insects, it is their mating call and it is loud. According to a Google search, the noise level can hit up to 95 decimals, The equivalent to a Harley.
Cicadas typically have black bodies, orange wing veins, red eyes, and six legs. They also have antennae and are typically 1 to 2 inches in length. They are not harmful if your pet eats them, but should be in moderation so they do not upset their stomachs. They also are not interested in you, they will not bite or sting and they are not interested in your house. They are an essential part of nature and should not be exterminated. Cicadas can serve as food for many animals, including birds, reptiles, snakes, and even spiders. When underground, the nymphs construct tunnels that help to aerate the soil and allow for tree roots to get more access to nutrients and oxygen for growth. There are even people that dip them in chocolate or fry them according to the April 1st edition of Newsweek. Farmers can rest at ease that these insects are not a risk to most crops.
Once the noisy visitors emerge, they only live above ground for 4-6 weeks and die off, so this should not ruin the summer, it will make for an increased need for car washes and windshield washer fluid. Like most insects, they will be attracted to the porch light in confusion. They typically go dormant in daylight. They will not damage your home or car. We feel we should remind vehicle owners who drive turbo-powered vehicles to also take extra time to keep the grill of their vehicle cleaned up of the bugs as you do not want these to get in the system, it should also be mentioned that it is rare to see such a thing happen, but we did not have as many turbocharged vehicles on the road in 2004 like we do today so it should be treated as plausible.
The article was written by Richard Moghadam
Perceptive editorial
5/1/2021
Circle City Magazine Copyright 2021
