Cicadas = Summer at Last!!

[linaewen]

We have yet to have a 90 degree day here in the Midwest, but even so, it is now fully summer in my opinion.  It has little to do with the date on the calendar or the temperature outside (or inside, for that matter) -- and has everything to do with cicadas.

I heard my first cicada song of the year this evening as I was out walking with my DH, and it made me cheer out loud!  I am such a fan of those fascinating bugs, and I have been waiting and waiting to hear them singing this year.  Two years ago I had the honor of living in an area that was besieged by the 17 year locust -- what a loud and lengthy summer that was, but I loved it.  Last year, too, was a lovely year for cicadas, as there were some residual 17 year locusts who hung around from June until October, one of which stayed right outside our apartment window and sang to me all day long and into the evening!  I guess we just have the normal cicadas this year, which are getting started later in the game -- but I shall hope that they stick around into October as well.  Their season is far too short for my tastes.

I think I need an "I <3 Cicadas" bumper sticker or something.  ;-)

Comments

[mumstheword54.livejournal.com]

Cicadas are the sound of summer afternoons for me as well, though not really a welcome sound, I'm sorry to say.

Growing up in a semi-desert area, and even living now in greener Central Texas, I associate cicada sounds with blast-oven heat and having to stay indoors to escape dehydration and severe sunburn -- or even wind-burn, lol. Of course, we've had our usual run of 100+ temps since -- gee, was it ever actually chilly? -- sometime in May, I think, feels like forever!

Now, mockingbird songs in the middle of the night, and riotous birdsong beginning at first light ... ah, that brings joy to me old heart. Mockers, doves, finches, cardinals, sparrows, wrens -- all those and more we hear in the early morning and late evening, and we just love it!

You might check with your museum of natural history's gift shop for that bumper sticker.

[mumstheword54.livejournal.com]

EEEEeeeewwwwww!

http://bumperstickers.cafepress.com/cicada

*shudder*

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

Whoo hoo! You found some, lol! So many choices... And there are t-shirts, too! :-D

I'm not sure why I love them so much, but I think it might be that the song usually came when it was getting on for the end of summer, and that meant school would be starting soon -- and I was a girl who missed being at school for some reason! Then later, when we were in Pakistan, they had cicadas there (in the mountains where we spent our summers) and it was a nostalgic sound from home.

I was afraid they might not come out properly this summer, as we have not had very many warm days -- but there's at least one out there, and where one is, more are sure to follow.

[tuilelindowen.livejournal.com]

Wow, 88 bumper stickers. Love the Wisconsin one ("They came here for our cheese"). No cicada "lullaby" though. That would be my pick. Their sound was always so comforting and restful for me as a child.

[shirebound]

I cheered when I saw lightning bugs last week! I hadn't been back to the east coast in the summer in nearly 30 years, and it was soooo lovely to see them glowing again. :)

first cicada song of the year

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

**nods**
I still remember the first time I heard them also.
Thanks for reminding me....
:-)

[lady-branwyn.livejournal.com]

My reaction to cicadas singing is "the mother ship has landed!" When I was very little, there was a summer when the ground under the elm trees was littered with cicada shells. My brother and I used them for toy soldiers. :)

[rowantwig.livejournal.com]

I just heard one, and earlier today my son found an empty shell on the porch. I love the sounds of summer almost as much as well, yes, that might be one of my favorite things about summer!

[estellye.livejournal.com]

LOL! I love the sound, too. It's such a pleasing and peaceful serenade! I could do without the 90 degree days, though, so maybe I should move your way. ;)

[tuilelindowen.livejournal.com]

Oh, their sound brings back my hometown for me in the midwest. I miss their sound and the lightning bugs -- do you get lightning bugs where you are? Nothing like either in SoCal.

Wispilly, Tuile