Once again, Sitting here happily stunned. I grew up on the south side and played far more games on cement than grass in my early years. I knew the real world was around but never seemed to get too involved with it.
Your story was damn close to exciting, essentially happening in a Mickey D parking lot at that!
I don't have either an affinity or an aversion to cicadas, but none of the ones I've ever encountered sounded so birdlike!
You're so welcome, Dave! I also played a lot of games on cement growing up--in fact I clearly remember smacking my chin into the cement after hurtling down a metal slide into a kiddie pool at daycare right around the corner from this prairie. The things they used to let us kids do 😂
As a kid in Texas, I used to find the shed skins of cicadas clinging to tree trunks. I thought they were fascinating, with the split up their backs through which the bug had departed.
I love finding those too, Margaret! They're like little ghosts. We looked around for the skins of the prairie cicadas on Saturday but weren't able to find any.
Thank you so much, Nate! I'm so glad to hear you are a fellow cicada appreciator.
We had a great time last year in Chicagoland, when the 17 year and 13 year cicadas emerged at the same time. They were everywhere, but now I regret never paying attention to their smell!
I loved this story! A patch of wilderness in an urban area excites me a lot, and I am happy to see there is somebody else values such areas as much as me!
I don't know which cicada i found in Nebraska but there must have been millions of them! Their hum was so loud, I thought there was a problem with the powerlines! That made me nervous. Then one big one landed on me, and it had sticky feet. I had a hard time getting it to want to go back into the locust tree nearby. I wasn't afraid but the sticky feet felt wierd.
What a wonderful slice of heaven. How I wish . . . How I wish. I am smiling broadly to know there is a beautiful micro biome and that it is flourishing. ❤️
I was just outside in Texas listening to the cicadas on this hot sunny Sunday afternoon. There’s so much to learn and experience being out in nature. I’m just learning this more and more in my middle age. Thanks for your writing and sharing.
I have not heard a Prairie Cicada before. I do like cicadas though - love to hear their calls back and forth. They always remind me of bright sunny, hot days of Summer.
Cicadas are the best. I was in Vegas a few years ago in summer and a small tree vibrated from their song. No matter how long I stood there I saw strictly zero. What a good experience though.
I’ve driven by that preserve for years with no idea what it was nor what a treasure it is. Thank you for bringing it into the light and sharing your experiences exploring it and successfully finding the thriving rare cicadas. Now that I know it’s open to the public, I may wonder there someday too.
I highly recommend it Valerie! There's a little nature center inside the building that has some information on the history as well as the plants and animals you can find inside.
Though I totally enjoyed reading this post, I have to say - if I don't hear another cicada for a very long time it will be fine with me. 🤣 Brood XIV cicadas, of the 17-year sort emerged in our area with deafening persistence for nearly the entire month of June. I have a new appreciation for silence. 😇
What a wondrous discovery! And a childhood mystery solved! Thank you so much for this fascinating piece. I plan on sharing it with my 88-year-old mother. We lived outside of Chicago a couple of times while I was growing up in the 60s and 70s and I know she’d so appreciate reading it. Her hearing is almost gone now but if she turns up the volume I bet she’ll listen. But then again? Her audio memory will kick in because how can one ever forget that cicada sound? It stays with you, after all…
Once again, Sitting here happily stunned. I grew up on the south side and played far more games on cement than grass in my early years. I knew the real world was around but never seemed to get too involved with it.
Your story was damn close to exciting, essentially happening in a Mickey D parking lot at that!
I don't have either an affinity or an aversion to cicadas, but none of the ones I've ever encountered sounded so birdlike!
Thanks for this special field report.
You're so welcome, Dave! I also played a lot of games on cement growing up--in fact I clearly remember smacking my chin into the cement after hurtling down a metal slide into a kiddie pool at daycare right around the corner from this prairie. The things they used to let us kids do 😂
As a kid in Texas, I used to find the shed skins of cicadas clinging to tree trunks. I thought they were fascinating, with the split up their backs through which the bug had departed.
I love finding those too, Margaret! They're like little ghosts. We looked around for the skins of the prairie cicadas on Saturday but weren't able to find any.
Too early in the year for them to have shed their skins yet, maybe?
What a cool story!
Thank you, Margaret!
One of favorite posts, Kelly. So glad you got to see the cicada. Totally heartbreaking that so few acres of prairie remain.
Last cicadas I remember seeing were some 17 year cicadas in Ohio. The sight and sound of them was amazing, and so was the smell. Almost a nutty smell.
Thanks for a wonderful read :)
Thank you so much, Nate! I'm so glad to hear you are a fellow cicada appreciator.
We had a great time last year in Chicagoland, when the 17 year and 13 year cicadas emerged at the same time. They were everywhere, but now I regret never paying attention to their smell!
As I recall, the smell didn't really kick in until they were doing their molts. It was a bit later in the process. Yum!
I loved this story! A patch of wilderness in an urban area excites me a lot, and I am happy to see there is somebody else values such areas as much as me!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I don't know which cicada i found in Nebraska but there must have been millions of them! Their hum was so loud, I thought there was a problem with the powerlines! That made me nervous. Then one big one landed on me, and it had sticky feet. I had a hard time getting it to want to go back into the locust tree nearby. I wasn't afraid but the sticky feet felt wierd.
Oooh, the sticky feet are so interesting! Did they hang out mostly in the trees or were they in a prairie?
What a wonderful slice of heaven. How I wish . . . How I wish. I am smiling broadly to know there is a beautiful micro biome and that it is flourishing. ❤️
It is a lovely little spot! I'm so glad this made you smile, Trish ❤️
I was just outside in Texas listening to the cicadas on this hot sunny Sunday afternoon. There’s so much to learn and experience being out in nature. I’m just learning this more and more in my middle age. Thanks for your writing and sharing.
Yes to all of this! Nature is a never ending rabbit hole full of discoveries ❤️
As a birder and entomologist, I say: Mega-❤️!
Absolutely, Bryan! And what amazing creatures they are 💛
I have not heard a Prairie Cicada before. I do like cicadas though - love to hear their calls back and forth. They always remind me of bright sunny, hot days of Summer.
Me too, Neil. It's like you know you're in the midst of summer when they start singing. Do you have the Dog Day near you?
We usually get a week or two of those Dog Days of hot humidity here in Ottawa. Usually early to mid-July.
Cicadas are the best. I was in Vegas a few years ago in summer and a small tree vibrated from their song. No matter how long I stood there I saw strictly zero. What a good experience though.
That sounds amazing, Whit! Our more common Dog Day Cicadas here are extremely loud, but I've never seen them shake a tree!
well, poetic license
I’ve driven by that preserve for years with no idea what it was nor what a treasure it is. Thank you for bringing it into the light and sharing your experiences exploring it and successfully finding the thriving rare cicadas. Now that I know it’s open to the public, I may wonder there someday too.
I highly recommend it Valerie! There's a little nature center inside the building that has some information on the history as well as the plants and animals you can find inside.
Though I totally enjoyed reading this post, I have to say - if I don't hear another cicada for a very long time it will be fine with me. 🤣 Brood XIV cicadas, of the 17-year sort emerged in our area with deafening persistence for nearly the entire month of June. I have a new appreciation for silence. 😇
What a wondrous discovery! And a childhood mystery solved! Thank you so much for this fascinating piece. I plan on sharing it with my 88-year-old mother. We lived outside of Chicago a couple of times while I was growing up in the 60s and 70s and I know she’d so appreciate reading it. Her hearing is almost gone now but if she turns up the volume I bet she’ll listen. But then again? Her audio memory will kick in because how can one ever forget that cicada sound? It stays with you, after all…