Cicadas

[BilletHead]

They started hatching here week before last. Still coming out of the ground some and it is very noisy in the trees. Grabbed some adults,

Started throwing them into the garden pond. We have a koi, channel cat, hybrid bluegill and a quill back buffalo. Everyone got into the act but the channel cat was the pig. He close to two pounds now and the koi about the same size. In the picture you can see the koi but I missed the channel taking the bug,

Got one that had emerged from the shell still white and soft,

And then some of the assorted hulls left over,

BilletHead

[Ketchup]

Love the sounds of the locust. Growing up as a country kid, we spent alot of time by the farm ponds " in Texas there called stock tanks" and the noise from the Cicadas still take me back to those days. Their noises drive many insane, but bring relaxation to myself. I can sit in the back by the barn all day listening to them.

Thanks for the pictures.

[Nighthawk]

Lots of protein there, Marty. Russ

[Seth]

I still haven't noticed any here around home yet. Looking forward to some pond fishing when they do show up.

[ness]

Haven't noticed them around here either. But I've been holed up inside for the better part of two weeks because of the rain..

[ALLSTAR1]

SAW A FEW A OUR FARM NEAR POMONA KS LAST THURSDAY

[BilletHead]

The sound here right now is unreal. I cannot remember the last hatch being this noisy. You can literally look into the treetops and see them swarming and flying from tree limb to tree limb. Once and a while you can grab one on lower limb to feed the garden pond fish. It is now a fight to see which fish can get it first. I am a bit concerned about all my young trees especially the chestnuts. Read where you could cover the trees in netting to prevent damage. Also to plant your trees right after the hatching year. Do they really think I was thinking of that three years ago when I started these trees from a seed? Heck I can't remember sometimes what I did a week ago! I suppose I will take my chances and just try to make rounds of the trees several times daily when they start laying eggs and try to pick them off.

In the mean time I have been having fun shooting them, yes shooting them. What a hoot. Found some .22 bird shot and have been shooting them off the limbs for the fish. Mrs. BilletHead makes a good spotter. Only had a few of the shells but success! Have to figure out the ideal distance though as I disintegrated a few to the point there was not enough weight left in them to make it through the leaves on the way to the ground. Next trip to town hope I can find more of these shells.
BilletHead

[Phil Lilley]

Still none here...

[BilletHead]

You can have mine Phil

MoGuy1973 posted a link in the Current River thread. A hatch table. http://www.magicicada.org/about/brood_pages/broods.php Looks like what I have going here is brood 4 the Kansan brood of the 17 year type. Looks like there might be a 13 year brood 23 , The lower Mississippi Brood that may hatch in isolated places in your area?

Thanks for the link MoGuy1973. Pretty neat info.

BilletHead

[ness]

Finally heard some yesterday afternoon. I was running a few errands, and had the car window cracked. Heard a few pockets of them in woody areas within few miles of home. We've got a lot of trees in my neighborhood, but nothing yet.