The Sound of a Billion Kitchen Blenders: The World's Largest Cicada "Infestation" is Coming!

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Technology that can actually render objects invisible. The paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Etch-a-Sketch. People come up with some very neat stuff.

Then again, we tend to get so caught up in these works of people – not to mention getting caught up in people’s messes – that we often get lost in them. As individuals, as a family, as a nation and as a human race, we therefore often lose sight of the far greater accomplishment and inspiration available to us all:

Cicadas.

Well okay, not JUST cicadas. Nature in general. Though you may be among the growing population who sadly hasn’t even taken a walk outside in weeks or years, I urge you to do so soon – come on, even a short one! -- and behold nature. Whether it’s the sky and clouds, a squirrel, a single tree or entire forest, or even the interactions of people from a naturalist’s point of view, really take it in.

You’ll be reminded that the stuff of nature still makes any of human being’s greatest achievements look like child’s play, which in a sense is exactly what they are. Ironically, though, nothing else can inspire human beings to these great achievements, to this noble child’s play, like nature. Take a walk outside and really contemplate something there and I defy you not to be awed.

Which brings us back specifically to cicadas…

The Billion Kitchen Blenders Song

This spring you are invited to head my way to hear one of the most astonishing concert choirs of at least the last seventeen years. Though you likely won’t find them as handsomely dressed as a typical choir, and you probably won’t be motivated to sing along, for the amazing story behind this “concert” and the sheer volume of individuals that will be participating in it – billions – you’ll find it is truly one of nature’s spectacles to behold. At least for a little while.

In late May to early June 2007, in a region encompassing the top half of Illinois including Chicago, plus parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and a bit of Indiana and Michigan (see map below), the largest brood of cicadas in the world will emerge after spending the first seventeen years of their life underground.

Known as Brood XIII, these 17-year Periodical Cicadas (mistakenly called locusts by some) will emerge from the earth by the hundreds of thousands and even millions per acre depending on the geographic area. Some won’t ever make it aboveground to this last stage of life because roads, houses and other new (within the last 17 year) barricades will forever shield their emergence.

Others will feel sunlight on their red beady eyes only briefly and then be crushed by feet or wheels – in many areas these emerging cicadas will completely sheet lawns, sidewalks, and roads, and so crunch crunch crunch will be inevitable. Still many others will be scooped up by hungry predators – including bird, rodents, reptiles and a growing number of people who eat cicadas and say yum, they taste like peanut butter.

Billions of the big bugs will live, though, and in this short span of time in the upper Midwest region they'll ascend trees, houses, telephone poles, signposts, and above-ground swimming pools where they’ll find a comfy spot to shed their skin. Each will spend several hours soft, white & defenseless as it opens its wings and hardens its protective shell. Having spent 17 years underground as nymphs, they’ll now be 1-2 inch long adults, and they’ll fly short distances and stumble and bumble to find a mate.

  Photo by Roy Troutman of CicadaMania.com 

And here’s where the concert that would blow the Vienna Boys Choir away – possibly literally – occurs. The males “sing” a mating ritual to attract females, and this “song” happens to be the loudest sound produced by any insect in the world. Their courtship song, which sounds something like an air raid siren but several octaves higher and usually of longer duration, reaches 90 dB – as loud as a kitchen blender.

Now multiply that by hundreds of thousands and even millions in a small region.

And THAT’s a concert to behold and be awed by.

It’s also a concert that, due to its incredible volume, will force the famous outdoor concert venue called Ravinia (this one composed of humans, not cicadas) to move events indoors for several weeks – they realize even with amplifiers they’ll be no match for millions of cicadas.

Bring a Big Shovel If You Intend to Stay for the Whole Show

Inevitably, though, instead of amazement many people will be unnerved by these cicadas. First, they are not exactly loveable looking creatures to most human eyes. Quite the contrary. Second, there will be so darned many of them. If they planned well, they could easily take over the world, or at least Chicago and Milwaukee.

But the good news is that they are completely harmless. They don’t bite or sting or call you nasty names. At the most, their mega-buzzing may cause you to lose sleep, or to go crazy once the awe and amazement wears off but their buzz-sawing continues (but that’s why nature invented iPods.)

There are at least 13 broods of these 17-year cicadas in the world total, plus another five broods that emerge every 13 years. There are still other cicada species that live two to eight years. You may recall news of Brood X, another 17-year Periodical Cicada brood, which emerged in the eastern U.S. in 2004. When that brood died off, the media showed pictures of people shoveling the cicada carcasses off driveways and the like, and people complained of a noticeable stench.

Again, the coming Brood XIII of cicadas is the largest on earth, so after the males have sung and the females have laid their eggs, the die-off (which seems to happen as suddenly as the emergence) ought to be even more … interesting. Of course, depending how you define awe-inspiring, you may not want to be here for that part of the show.

If you are fortunate enough to witness this natural wonder, though, really listen and think about it. What prompts billions of the cicadas to all suddenly and near-simultaneously tunnel up to open air after 17 years spent barely mobile in underground lairs? Internal clocks? Cicada cell phones? Scientists don’t know. And for that matter, why do cicadas exist at all? What purpose do they serve? What purpose does life of any sort serve? Your life?

If you’re surrounded by them, you won’t be able to avoid the sound of the cicadas. But let the massive whir penetrate your mind and soul and you’ll be amazed how you are moved, and where you go.

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Posted: Sunday, March 11, 2007 9:39 PM by Brian Vaszily

Filed under: brood xiii cicadas, cicada, 17-year cicadas, cicadas, Brood XIII

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