May
23rd
2021
Warning: Insect Pics Galore! · 9:41pm May 23rd, 2021
So if you're anywhere in the eastern US, you might have heard about the emerging cicadas that are coming out from under tree roots to mate after sustaining on tree root sap for 17 years.
My locale is smack in the middle of Brood X, one of the largest cicada swarms, last seen above ground in 2004. So I went out this morning and put my 40mm micro lens to good work. Millions will emerge over the next 2-6 weeks.
If insects creep you out, stop now.
All these years, I've been calling those spent husks hanging on trees locust shells.
That's a lotta bugs!
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Locusts are more like grasshoppers.
Oh, sick, bro (good way). My aunt lives in an area that got the cicadas last time and she was scared to death of them. Gonna be interesting to see how she reacts this time.
I don't see much fungus on them. That's a good sign. I'd heard that this brood was bound to be hit by an infestation of parasitic fungus (no, not Cordyceps this time).
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Wouldn't surprise me. IRL Cordyceps has hundreds of variants, each targeting a single species.
This is so cool bro--so many cicadas. it's a once-in-a-half-life experience to see the Emergence.