Cicadas (7 Viewers)

[Optimus Prime]

Cicadas pee a lot, particularly during warm days. And when thousands of cicadas are perched overhead on tree branches, their pee falls to the ground like a gentle rain shower.

Their pee is like watery tree sap, so it’s wise to wear a hat when walking in the woods this month. But it’s harmless, just like the cicadas that squirt it out.

“It feels like when a rain just starts, and you get a small drop or two and say, ‘Is it starting to rain?’” Paula Shrewsbury, a professor of entomology at the University of Maryland, wrote in an email. "Instead, now you say, ‘Is that cicada pee?’ So little specks of wet, and it never gets any stronger than that.”

But why do cicadas pee frequently?

“As adults, cicadas are active on the hottest days because they can tap into the dilute, watery xylem fluid of deciduous trees,” wrote Daniel Gruner, who also teaches in U-Md.’s entomology department. “Evaporation of moisture cools their bodies by as much as five to 10 degrees, just as humans sweat and dogs pant, but an excess of fluids forces them to pee liberally.”.......

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/05/25/partly-cloudy-with-chance-cicada-pee/

 

[Optimus Prime]

It has to do with predator life cycle timing. Both 13 and 17 are prime numbers. It makes it hard for a predator to match this timing and any existing cycles like 2 or 3 years don’t always match up. The regionally of the broods with different 13/17yr cycles also helps.

more on this

Cicadas In Their Prime › News in Science (ABC Science)

www.abc.net.au

 

[zatsnzapps]

Driving across near the eastern terminus of I-70 (near where I live) the other day, my windshield was a battering ram for quite a few of those bastages.

I have woods about 4 or 5 houses from me, and there were a handful of dead ones on my porch this afternoon.

Not to mention, they're loud as all get out during the day right now. I can hear them in my office with the windows closed.

 

[DaveXA]

Driving across near the eastern terminus of I-70 (near where I live) the other day, my windshield was a battering ram for quite a few of those bastages.

I have woods about 4 or 5 houses from me, and there were a handful of dead ones on my porch this afternoon.

Not to mention, they're loud as all get out during the day right now. I can hear them in my office with the windows closed.

Yeah, we were out looking at a few houses today and can't walk 2 feet without bumping into them. They were landing on my friends arm and shoulder for some reason.

And yeah, I'm hard of hearing and I still hear them droning on, especially in the evenings before sundown.

 

[sfidc3]

more on this

Cicadas In Their Prime › News in Science (ABC Science)

www.abc.net.au

Absolutely fascinating, Mother Nature literally understands math....

Driving across near the eastern terminus of I-70 (near where I live) the other day, my windshield was a battering ram for quite a few of those bastages.

I have woods about 4 or 5 houses from me, and there were a handful of dead ones on my porch this afternoon.

Not to mention, they're loud as all get out during the day right now. I can hear them in my office with the windows closed.

Went out hoping to fish the Monocacy river last night with my younger son, water level was ok but the water was like the color of chocolate milk and no sign of cicadas. For some reason they aren't around north of Frederick....

I'm going to try and hit the Gunpowder River in the next few weeks which is about 20 minutes north of Bawlmer....glad to hear they are there....

 

[zatsnzapps]

Absolutely fascinating, Mother Nature literally understands math....



Went out hoping to fish the Monocacy river last night with my younger son, water level was ok but the water was like the color of chocolate milk and no sign of cicadas. For some reason they aren't around north of Frederick....

I'm going to try and hit the Gunpowder River in the next few weeks which is about 20 minutes north of Bawlmer....glad to hear they are there....

I actually just got back from Frederick a few minutes ago.

I was downtown, and only there briefly to pick up something from an antique shop, but I don't think I heard a peep from cicadas. BTW, downtown Frederick is pretty cool for walking around on a lazy day.

The cicadas are definitely in Baltimore. I've heard parts of Columbia are covered with them. They are also out in full force in some of the western suburbs (not too far from me) that are more rural. Like I mentioned earlier, I can hear them because I have woods just a literal stone's throw away from my house, but not too many have come out of the woods yet. It's just a matter of time.

 

[sfidc3]

I actually just got back from Frederick a few minutes ago.

I was downtown, and only there briefly to pick up something from an antique shop, but I don't think I heard a peep from cicadas. BTW, downtown Frederick is pretty cool for walking around on a lazy day.

The cicadas are definitely in Baltimore. I've heard parts of Columbia are covered with them. They are also out in full force in some of the western suburbs (not too far from me) that are more rural. Like I mentioned earlier, I can hear them because I have woods just a literal stone's throw away from my house, but not too many have come out of the woods yet. It's just a matter of time.

That's cool, Frederick is a quaint town, with lots of cool pubs and places to eat. Both my goddaughters live there and their parents live close by in Urbana...I'm hoping when I get back from NC and Delaware beaches there are still some around on the Gunpowder....

BTW - my wife's cousin and his wife live in the Locust Point area, I love most of Baltimore, it reminds of NOLA in some ways....I actually think there are better restaurants there than in DC....

 

[zatsnzapps]

BTW - my wife's cousin and his wife live in the Locust Point area, I love most of Baltimore, it reminds of NOLA in some ways....I actually think there are better restaurants there than in DC....

I really like Locust Point. I was in a kickball league a few years ago, and that was where we played, so I was out there several times. There's a great little neighborhood bar/restaurant there named Barracudas where we'd meet to have pre-game libations.

Otherwise, I really avoid the city as much as possible. There just isn't that much to do that I can't do better in the burbs or elsewhere in the area. There are some good restaurants, but honestly, there are just as many good restaurants outside of the city that are easier to get in and out of.

 

[sfidc3]

I really like Locust Point. I was in a kickball league a few years ago, and that was where we played, so I was out there several times. There's a great little neighborhood bar/restaurant there named Barracudas where we'd meet to have pre-game libations.

There are 3 gastro pubs within walking distance of their place. My favorite is Hull St. Blues, the owner is a huge Tom Waits fan, there is always good music and friendly folks in there and the food is very good....

I haven't been to Barracudas but I've heard good things about it...

 

[Optimus Prime]

That's cool, Frederick is a quaint town, with lots of cool pubs and places to eat. Both my goddaughters live there and their parents live close by in Urbana...I'm hoping when I get back from NC and Delaware beaches there are still some around on the Gunpowder....

BTW - my wife's cousin and his wife live in the Locust Point area, I love most of Baltimore, it reminds of NOLA in some ways....I actually think there are better restaurants there than in DC....

Any restaurant suggestions for Frederick?

my grandparents lived in Frederick

when I was a kid there was nothing there

it’s grown so much

 

[sfidc3]

When I first moved to MD in 1989, the whole area from Germantown to Frederick was nothing but rolling hills and farm fields....it is absolute insanity now. I think in my lifetime DC - Frederick will be one big city/suburb.....

Restaurant suggestions - Tsunami, Hootch and Banter, Wine Kitchen, Black Hog BBQ (real deal gumbo, the chef is from NOLA and everything is good), Dutch’s Daughter (seafood)....hope this is helpful....Cheers

 

[Optimus Prime]

When I first moved to MD in 1989, the whole area from Germantown to Frederick was nothing but rolling hills and farm fields....it is absolute insanity now. I think in my lifetime DC - Frederick will be one big city/suburb.....

Restaurant suggestions - Tsunami, Hootch and Banter, Wine Kitchen, Black Hog BBQ (real deal gumbo, the chef is from NOLA and everything is good), Dutch’s Daughter (seafood)....hope this is helpful....Cheers

When I was a kid going to visit my grandparents Frederick seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere that took forever to get to

If you told someone you lived in Frederick you might as well had said you lived on the moon

That's not true anymore, years ago I would have said Hagerstown was the new Frederick but even that's changed

 

[sfidc3]

When I was a kid going to visit my grandparents Frederick seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere that took forever to get to

If you told someone you lived in Frederick you might as well had said you lived on the moon

That's not true anymore, years ago I would have said Hagerstown was the new Frederick but even that's changed

Both my goddaughters bought old row houses in the older part of Frederick, I think they were very smart to do so, its an up and coming area IMO....

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[Optimus Prime]

Think it's over

I went outside today and there was just the slightest hint of them in the background, you had to concentrate to hear them

Cicadas - It's been fun, See you guys in 17 years