Cicada Mania!

 

 

This generation of cicadas were born in the year 2004. Taking a look back in that same year, Nintendo made a major technological change in handheld gaming. The very first Nintendo DS was globally released. Keroro Gunsou (a long running, hit anime series) had also begun airing that same year. In the next week or so, billions of cicadas will emerge in NOVA region, DC, east PA, DE, MD, east of WV, majority of IN, parts of Michigan, and eastern TN. If you live in these areas marked in yellow but have not seen these little critters, just wait because they will emerge soon if they haven't already! 

It has been reported that a lot of these areas have not even seen any cicadas yet. Even in my area, neighborhoods near by mine still have not seen any. The reason you may not have seen the cicadas yet is because there has been a huge delay for them to emerge due to cold weather in certain areas (my area included). I have seen a ton of cicadas dying in the process of emerging out of their shells. The last few nights have been in the mid 40s-50s which is too cold for them. Cicadas like the soil to be at 64 degrees Fahrenheit for three days or longer.

 

The best places to look for them is on old, huge oak/maple trees. Cicadas tend to lay their eggs on trees so if the tree was there 17 years ago, they will likely spawn near or on that area. Even if a tree that was there 17 years ago but is not anymore, they will still emerge within that area because that's where a female cicada previously laid eggs. 

 

How can you tell the difference between genders? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's take a look at the image above. I circled in red where to look for the difference. The male has a ball butt and the female does not. She has an opening on her butt so she can have room to lay her eggs. 

 

How long will they be around for?

 

The image on the left is a hole made from a cicada emerging from the ground. These cicadas have been hiding underground for the last 17 years. Hard to believe they are that old! Once they emerge and become adults, they will only stick around for about 4-6 weeks. During that time, they must quickly find a mate and lay eggs before time runs out.

 

 

Wrapping Things Up

I saw my first sighting of these cicadas about a week ago, around May 10th. They have been continuing to emerge but very slowly. The weather here is going to warm up well into the high 80s. Warm enough for them to really start booming. This kind of event happens every 17 years. There's also a smaller brood that occurs every  13 years. The 17 year cycle is the cycle that has billions of cicadas. We also have a few annual cicadas but those are nothing like brood x. 

 

Keeping this post on the topic of otakuism and Japan...

 

In Japan, cicadas are the symbol and soundtrack of summer. Cicada hunting has been a super popular summer past time for many generations of kids there. There are 30 different types of annual cicadas that emerge in Japan and each cicada sings its own song. You will typically hear these cicadas singing in the summer time in Japanese video games as well as anime. 

 

Here are some names of some of the more popular cicadas in Japan and that can be heard in anime...

 

 

                 (cicada from Dennou Coil)

 

ひぐらし - Higurashi (this cicada is known as the evening cicada. You may have also heard the name of this cicada from the anime, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni)

ツクツクボウシ - Tsukutsukuboushi

クマゼミ - Kumazemi (aka the bear cicada)

アブラゼミ - Aburazemi

ニイニイゼミ - Niiniizemi

ミンミンゼミ - MiinMiinzemi

 

My Photo Gallery....

 

And that wraps up this post about cicadas! I felt that I just had to write a little something about these magnificent creatures. In fact, one of the main reasons I went Japan in the summer of 2019 was because I wanted to hear Japan's cicadas. The same ones that we all know and love hearing in anime and video games. Hope you all found this interesting and I hope you have a wonderful week.