3 minute read

Cicadas

from LAKElife Magazine - August 2021

from LAKElife Magazine - August 2021, page 82

Sweetest Bath Suites

Our noisy, temporary neighbors

by Abby Logan, public relations specialist at the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams photo courtesy of The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

You may have heard the buzz this summer— literally!

Periodical cicadas are harmless, winged insects which only make an appearance every 13-17 years. They spend most of their lives well below ground, feeding on roots. When the right time arrives, cicadas wait for the soil to reach at least 64 degrees Fahrenheit and a soaking rain before making their appearance.

In northern Indiana, this occurred in June.

Cicadas emerge from the ground overnight, encased in a light brown exoskeleton that they will slowly shed. For a while, their wings are still coiled at their sides. They ‘cure’ for most of the night as their new exoskeletons harden. Then, are able to fly away.

All cicadas have wings, but only male cicadas can sing. After they make their way through soil to the surface, they slowly learn to use their ‘tymbals.’ Much like an adolescent boy, their singing voices start a bit broken and end smooth as they mature.

Many cicadas will become dinner for hungry birds and fish (if they have the misfortune of falling into a lake or stream) but they serve several other purposes, too.

• Their underground tunnels aerate the soil.

• When females lay their eggs, the trees they choose are naturally pruned by the cicadas and are able to produce more flowers and fruit the following year.

• After they die, cicadas release nitrogen back into the soil, which is essential for plant growth.

Although they may look prehistoric and even a bit intimidating, cicadas carry no known diseases and do not bite or sting. Next time you see one, stop to admire its delicate wings and bright red eyes! They will only be around for a few months before their brief lives end and another brood of cicadas set their alarm clocks for 2034 and beyond.

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