I observed my first 17-year cicada invasion (is that the right word for it?) in 1986 in Northern Virginia. It’s an unforgettable experience, for those who haven’t been lucky enough to encounter a barrage of the little critters. I was especially fascinated by the exoskeletons stuck to trees everywhere and drew them several times. Still have a containerful of my favorite specimens.
Brood X didn’t come as far south as we are this summer, and I was a bit envious. Not that I wanted to taste any of the cicada dishes that folks were touting, but I sort of felt like we were missing out on something special. Who knows, our Brood might be showing more sooner than later. And we do have glorious fireflies… Happy summer, everyone!