A spooky animal invasion is imminent in the United States.
This still puzzles scientists.
Mowing the lawn could have unpleasant consequences for people.
Washington - It's a scary scenario for insect haters.
All other residents of the region around the US capital Washington can expect a rare and vocal biological spectacle: Only every 17 years a certain species of cicada hatches in the eastern United States, the brood X (Roman ten) or Brood in English X and notorious for its noise level.
Soon it's time again.
Billions of insects of the Magicicada genus will populate the trees, the males will woo a partner for reproduction with deafening chirps.
Your survival strategy is as brutal as it is effective.
Brood X in the USA: Cicada invasion is imminent
When the ground warms up to around 18 degrees, the cicadas crawl out of the earth in which they buried themselves as nymphs (similar to the larvae in other insects) 17 years ago.
At that time, George W. Bush ruled the USA as president, Greece was European soccer champion.
Fresh holes in the forest floor show that at least the vanguard of the cicadas is already on the way.
The photos and videos that are supposed to show harbingers are already piling up on social media.
“It has started,” writes this Instagram user.
Although the authenticity has not been confirmed, there are numerous similar recordings.
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“They climb onto the first thing they can find and shed their skin into an adult with a soft, white, winged body,” explain the entomologists, ie entomologists, from the University of Maryland, which is adjacent to Washington.
“It takes about four to six days for her exoskeleton to harden.
Then they fly into the treetops to mate. "
Brood X in the US: Cicada epicenter around Washington
The cicada epicenter is slated to be around Washington this year. Experts expect a "tsunami" of billions of insects, which will then sit in the trees in 15 states in the east of the USA, at its peak in mid-May. On average, there should be one and a half million cicadas on the area of just over half a football field. In the trees, the male cicadas with their vibrating membrane begin their loud chirping, which is intended to attract females and can reach noise levels of 90 decibels and more - comparable to that of a petrol lawnmower.
Speaking of lawnmowers: The website "Cicada Mania", dedicated to "the most fascinating insects in the world", warns against starting lawnmowers - because the insects can mistake the noise for the chirping of their fellows.
"They get confused and end up on the people who use the devices," write the cicada fans.
That unsuspecting people suddenly find themselves exposed to a flood of Brood-X cicadas while mowing the lawn - a scary idea!
“Professional tip: Mow your lawn in the early morning hours or at dusk when the cicadas are less active.” Another tip: be careful under trees, from which the “honeydew” or “cicada rain” can fall .
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May 15, 2004, USA, Washington: A "17-year-old cicada" (Magicicada septendecem) is sitting in a garden on a leaf next to an empty doll cover that it had stripped off shortly before.
© Christiane Oelrich / dpa
Brood X in the USA: Entomologist fascinated by the cicadas
Entomologist Michael Raupp from the University of Maryland is also enthusiastic about cicadas, and on his website he calls himself “The Bug Guy”.
The university website “Maryland Today” says Raupp about the upcoming spectacle: “It's about romance.
It's only the males who sing, and they're obsessed with sex.
That's what this big boy band up in the trees is about - they sing their hearts out to convince that special someone that she's the one who should be the mother of their nymphs. "
When the members of the adorable “boy band” are successful with their loud advertising and the female animals are fertilized, the latter cut open young tree branches and lay their eggs in them. The adult cicadas die soon after their first and last act of reproduction. After several weeks, the nymphs hatch and then dig themselves into the ground - for the next 17 years. There they live on a nutrient-rich liquid that they suck from tree roots.
Raupp says the Brood-X cicadas could harm young trees if the females lay their eggs in their branches.
But they are not comparable to a biblical plague of locusts and would not devastate gardens or fields.
On the contrary: If the adult cicadas die en masse, it will stink, but their lifeless bodies will fertilize the soil.
“These guys sucked sap from trees for 17 years and now they're giving something back,” says the entomologist.
“Their little bodies rain down and fertilize all plants.
That is the cycle of life. "
Brood X in the US: Cicadas are still puzzling scientists
Why the Brood-X cicadas crawl out of the earth every 17 years is a mystery to scientists - some species of cicada appear every 13 years, others annually.
In any case, the long period makes it difficult for their natural enemies to adjust to their cycle.
This does not mean that not a number of Brood X-Cicadas are not eaten - even by pets.
Your survival strategy is based on mass occurrence.
Brood-X cicadas had their last major appearance so far in 2004. Various amateur videos can be found on YouTube that are supposed to show the drama of the time and which are best viewed with sound.
Or not at all if you have something against insects.
"Cicadas are a Thanksgiving-style festival for wildlife," writes the
Washington Post
of the impending invasion.
“When they appear, birds, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, ants, raccoons, snakes, frogs, and possums will eat their fill for about a week until they fall into a feeding coma.” At some point, the natural enemies overeat.
What is left of brood X then reproduces.
Brood X in the USA: Cicadas tasty for pets - and also for humans
Pets like dogs also feast on the insects.
Raupp says the cicadas are a good source of protein, "but don't let your pets eat buckets of these things."
The black chitin armor - the exoskeletons of insects - could cause digestive problems in large quantities.
Raupp even suggests that humans could eat the Brood-X cicadas. In any case, from his point of view nothing speaks against it. "I find it a bit unusual for people to eat a raw oyster or raw mussels," he says - they filtered dirt out of the water. “In comparison, how can you loathe a cicada that has been sipping plant juices underground for 17 years?” Not too many gourmets will probably follow this tip. You will find other tasty recipes in our enjoyment section.
(dpa with lin)
