Exciting for "Bug" Types

[momto2]

If you haven't been able to get to a place where the 17-year cicadas are emerging you are really missing something. This species of magicicada is black with red eyes and some orange in the veins of the wings. This morning I had several trees that were covered with these beautiful creatures. Both of my kids loved picking them up and petting them. One website says that 1.5 million cicadas of this variety could emerge per acre in the most densly populated regions. Happy cicada hunting!

[Bill Latchford]

Where is a good place around here to see and experience a Cicada?

[Something to say]

Fortunately, cicadas are benign to humans and aren't considered pests. We'll most likely be seeing loads of them with bats dying off due to white-nose fungus and windfarms. Unfortunately...with the demise of bats and warmer weather year round....we're also going to see an increase in pests which carry diseases to humans, such as mosquitos.

I love the sounds of the cicadas......

[momto2]

Bill, we live on Pennington Road and are almost overwhelemed by them. My neighbor only has a few compared to me. The map on some websites shows that central PA is a heavy area for these cidada but I can imagine that they are spotty. I don't have an issue with folks coming out to see them. We are at 2721.

[sandstone]

Where is a good place around here to see and experience a Cicada?

You can find them almost anywhere that there are trees, including in town. Here's a good description http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/facts ... cicada.htm

There's also discussion on the Little Juniata River Association website http://littlejuniata.org/little_juniata ... c.php?id=3

[SoccerMom]

Here's a link to more information on the Cicadas:

http://live.psu.edu/story/30632/nw1

[Bill Latchford]

Thanks for the great replies heading out with the family to see and collect a few to show my daughter's classmates....Would it be a good idea to set them free back where we got them or is any wooded area acceptable?

[sandstone]

Thanks for the great replies heading out with the family to see and collect a few to show my daughter's classmates....Would it be a good idea to set them free back where we got them or is any wooded area acceptable?

The adults live for a few weeks and will find suitable habitat no matter where you release them in the Tyrone area (NYC would be another story).

[sandstone]

From Little Juniata River Association president Bill Anderson:

Are you wondering what those big bugs are?

Periodical cicadas live in the ground sucking juices from tree roots, (no harm to the trees) growing very slowly for 17 years! The brood emerging now in our central Pa area, come from parents who laid eggs in trees in 1991 ! They are approximately 1 1/4 inch long and are very good to eat (if you are a bird, dog, or fish, yes my dogs love them!). Cicadas are very important to fly fishers provided you had the foresight of my neighbor, Jack, who kept one for a fly model from 1991! Now that's real dedication!

They are very good as live bait as well, although I have never tried one on a hook. If you do fish flies and want a good pattern, go to the LJRA website Forum - "fly fishing" .

http://www.littlejuniata.org/little_jun ... /index.php

Bill Anderson

[Bill Latchford]

The Cicadas were a big hit at my daughter's Daycare / Preschool. I just wanted to thank momto2 for the thread and information. Also thanks to all who provided information on these interesting buggers. My daughter's class is going to set them free soon. It was something I collected around 10 of them in a nice bug carrier and only one had wings. I had found one also that had already shed its exoskeleton. When we went to sleep and got up the next day they had all she their exoskeletons and were all grown up. The kids had a blast looking at the exoskeletons under the magnifying glass. So again thanks

[sandstone]

I observed lots of dying cicadas on the Little Juniata River today. A feast for the fish!!