CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY
You rarely see them hanging around. Luckily, I’ve caught a pic of two that are well-done. You may call them those huge bug- slash- fly things. You hear their acoustic serenades in trees (sometimes at night). What are they?
They are the CICADA.
A fascinating insect, they mainly call home to places resembling life in the deep inners of the armpit. Hot and sweaty.
So, here are the Top Ten Facts about cicadas to amaze your friends and fellow entemologists:
(Starting from basic to obscure)
1. The shell is used in China as traditional medicine. I’d be up for cicada cipro.
2. Their name means “buzzer” in Latin. Next time you’re at Coco Ichiban, push the “cicada” when your ready to order your curry.
3. They are a delicacy in China, Greece, Malaysia and the Congo. Cicada ceviche. Sure why not.
4. They can produce sounds that reach 120 decibals. As an individual. How loud would a group of 100 be? Figure out the math on that one.5. The average life span is 13-17 years.
5. Cicada’s don’t bite or sting. They do pierce and suck. Perhaps the modern leech?
6. They stay underground for 17 years. I would too if I looked like that.
7. Only the males make the noise. They have drum like membranes on their abdomen called tymbals that vibrate very quickly, creating the ehehehehehehehehe tone. Maybe they could play back up for Johnny Cash. But they may have some difficulties in finding a tailor to make such small black jeans.
8. Cicadas are non- toxic. You can eat them with your crayons.
9. You can see letters on a cicada’s wings: either W or P. You can decode insect language as you deem appropriate.
Hopefully dear readers, I leave you more informed about our lyrical tree inhabiting neighbors.