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HI,

In my neighborhood, there is a constant faint cicada song. Not quite loud enough to capture effectively in my camera. That is until I found I had a cicada soloist singing his heart out on a leopard print wrapped Little Henry bush.


While the cicadas have been placidly resting there. When the soloist began his song, then there was some agitation amongst the cicadas. It took them a bit of time to settle down after he sang.

This song is from precisely one male cicada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e0nTIeCcH0

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

As I am reading this forum in my home office in Oak Park, window open, I realize I can hear cicadas... I'm walking to an appointment in about an hour, so I will see how many I find. See you tomorrow night, altho I too will be hardpressed to eat one. Sorry, folks. I think it's the eyes, but I also don't want to feel legs going down my throat. (Please don't think ill of me. In my defense, I eat street food all over the world and never get sick.) My Filipino husband, however, will be very happy to hear there may be cicada adobo.

If you find many, please state location (need to go hunting tomorrow morning).

I have had my windows and skylights open for days, hoping to hear some, but can't say I have. Maybe, slightly, far in the distance...

_________________
“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Perhaps that's because you have eaten all the cicadas in your immediate vicinity.

Suzy

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" There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
- Frank Zappa

I must be hallucinating...I found none. I walked from Oak Park Ave and Washington, to Westgate and back again, meandering thru the park and winding my way thru the neighborhoods back home. Nothing. Thought I saw a drowned one in a hosta leaf, but on further inspection, it was a, well, I don't know what it was, but it wasn't a cicada. Sorry. I swear I can hear them... DH said he heard reports they're all over that stretch of forest preserve along Cumberland Ave. at about Irving Park (?).

David, DH came home from work tonight reporting scads of cicadas along 103rd St. between Western and Vincennes (in Beverly, if you've a mind to go that far tomorrow).

Hi,

Cicadas are good at predicting the weather. The last few days everytime I walk around my front yard there are cicadas lounging around. This evening there were practically none sitting around. I did find them under leaves more concealed than usual.

The only cicadas not quite hip to the weather were the new emergers. These I could easily pick out on the lawn. It is a bit concerting to notice the grass twitching when there is no breeze.

Regards,

_________________
Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

They are, indeed, excellent creatures. Intuitive. Focused. Delicious.

_________________
“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Still looking for cicadas?


video of cicadas swarming and singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0t5E6JvpOs

By the time I finished shooting this, seven had gathered on my body, which I consider a good omen. I believe it is hard to get perspective of just how loud it was from the video. So lets just say it was LOUD

-ramon

Ramon,

I just want to compliment you on the fine job you are doing of documenting Cicada-Fest 07. Your pictures are excellent!

_________________
Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

Thank you, everyone, for the truth is that everything I know about photography I've learned right here at LTHforum.

For those who think they can't take pictures just as good, know that I am not a visual person: I can't even draw a straight line or dress myself. It just takes some thought, passion, and patience.

These pictures were all taken with a relatively inexpensive digital camera (<$200). I didn't even use a tripod (though I should have used it sometimes). No post-production work was done except cropping and resizing. Though I'm sure I could have tweaked them some in Photoshop, I didn't bother.

Back to the cicadas. Whoever mowed my "base grove" the time before last was in a hurry and left last vast swathes untouched. The weeds and grass grew so high, that when the cicadas emerged, they didn't even bother to find a tree to climb. They just climbed the weeds. This weeks mower was not in such a hurry, and literally tens of thousands of cicadas were caught in the blades. That has created no shortage though.

Despite the plentitude of cicadas in my woods, I estimate only 25% have emerged yet. The areas under the tree canopies and in near-constant shade are still undisturbed. Imagine the cacophany to come.

Despite staring, again literally, thousands of cicadas right in their beady eyes, no blue eyed cicada. I'm determined though.

-ramon

Yep, that's right, I attended Marilyn Pocius's Cicada Fest '07.

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

OK, I'm down with the critters, but green jello? OOg.

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No guts, no glory.
http://www.chicagonow.com/quips-travails-braised-oxtails
http://quipstravailsandbraisedoxtails.blogspot.com/

Quite definitely the evening's most disturbing dish, but brilliant in its own way, as were C2's remarkable cookies.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Hi,

This morning while checking out the critter stampede in my front yard. There was an older Jewish Grandmother and her ten year old grandaughter passing by conversing about the horrors of cicadas. I cheerfully interrupted their contemplation:

C2 - "I just love cicadas!"

Grandmother: "Why would you?"

C2: "Why not? They are interesting, unique and mighty fine eating!"

Grandmother: "I'm from New York, I wouldn't dream of eating them!"

C2: "I have some cicada cookies in the house. If you're interested, I can bring some out for you."

Grandmother: "Do I look like someone who would want one?"

C2: "Not really. Of course I could be wrong and wouldn't want you to miss a unique opportunity."

The conversation shifted to garden design and away from the controversial topic of cicadas.

Regards,

_________________
Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

Unless you've been to New York, you haven't had real cicada.

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Metamorphosis









-ramon

Ramon and Cathy2, Very cool pictures, indeed. The only cicada to make an appearance near my house is the cloisonné one that lives on top of my computer.

Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time

This morning our dog was running back and forth with a very loud buzzing sound coming from his mouth. After about 30 seconds of panic, he finally spit out a cicada. And that is a dog that will eat just about anything.

Bill/SFNM

I didn't realize that this swarm was active in NM. Are there a lot of them there?

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

Not many. About 7 years ago there was a periodic swarm, but lately the few that do appear around our house are quickly consumed by the birds. The cicadas might be better off if they kept quiet.

Better swarm video, but still poor sound, from yesterday afternoon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEGuNf9J_X8
(see “related” for more Chicago cicada videos)

Remember when I said only 25% had emerged on my beat? Well I’d say another 60% emerged last night. As the sun set, the ground cover was a constant ripple as they crept up from below. The woods were dripping with cicadas falling out of the trees. It was macabre and surreal. I captured what I could before I lost all light.

Invasion with stupid commentary:
http://vimeo.com/204776

-ramon

LTH,

Seems I've jumped on the Cicada Train, not with the gusto of C2, introspection of Hammond or photographic talent of Ramon, but I could not resist the lure of NTV at Hammond's yesterday. Yep, that's right, a three person crew came all the way from Japan, ok, really NY, to film Cicada snacking at Hammond's.

Josie Hammond's maki rolling talent even impressed the fellows from Japan.

Josie rolling Cicada Maki Rolls



Producer Takuya Katsumura seems nonplussed at the prospect of cicada maki


NTV correspondent Takamitsu Teraoka may be the smartest cicada eater I've met, after all he was getting paid to eat cicadas.

Takamitsu Teraoka


Maryilyn Pocius extolling the joy of cicada. I'm not sure they are buying it.


Lots of fun, but I'm pretty well done with cicadas at the moment.



Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Hi,

Since I have been cooking with cicadas lately. I find my family more suspicious of the food served at our table. Last night I made a Spanish-inspired meal of asparagus, bread croutons, almonds and chorizo that crumbled when cooked. People were moving the food around with their fork inquiring about various ingredients. This is unusual behavior for my household, I suspected they thought there was a secret ingredient present. "That is chorizo not cicadas!" Assured there was no foreign matter they finally ate their dinner.

A while later my Dad asked about the uncooked chocolate chip cookie dough. He's carefully looking it over for something. He finally inquired, "What else is in the chocolate chip cookies?" Rolling my eyes I assured him the cicadas were on top of the cookies not mixed in!

Of course I have read of grinding insects to sprinkle them into food and bread as a protein booster. I had considered chopping the roasted cicadas to mix into the chocolate chip dough. I finally decided it might be more dramatic to decoratively arrange the cicadas and their wings on the cookies.

I guess my family is right to be a bit suspicious, though really I would not have pulled a fast one. Full disclosure at the very least!

Last nights warmer weather allowed the cicadas to sing all night long. Collectively the sound comes across like a 1950's science fiction movie of a hovering spacecraft.

Regards,

_________________
Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

While I’ve taken some needed time off from cicada observation, it still haunts me …

The typical red-eyed cicadas:


golden-eyed cicada:


yellow-eyed cicada:


orange-crossed-eyed cicada:


I know B and I took a picture of a white-eyed cicada, but I can’t find it. More importantly, NO BLUE-EYED CICADAS.

<sigh>

-ramon

Ramon,

If it helps, I am looking out for a blue-eyed cicada. If I find one, is a picture enough or should I deliver it to you?

Regards,

_________________
Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

That's a very cute and kind offer, Cathy, thank you. I look forward to your pic. The hunt is half the pleasure.

I haven't spent any time looking since last Sunday. My schedule has been full, the weather has been off, and my trusty companion has been out of town. Yesterday, while running errands, I heard the cicadas louder than I've ever heard. I took a quick walk and found the volume near deafening.

Considering that I have read that 1% have blue eyes, and I've examined some 5000 cicadas, I'm either the unluckiest person in the world or the experts are full of hooey. Or maybe I've just looked at the same 99 over and over.

I hope to be back on the hunt this Sunday.

-ramon

Something very strange is going on---

Through the course of my daily travels I have heard cicadas in Niles, Morton Grove, Glenview, Northbrook, Deerfield. In addition to these north areas I have also heard them in River Grove, Park Ridge, Norridge, and Schiller Park.

I have not heard or seen a single cicada in Skokie. We always have a ton of the yearly dog-day cicadas ( come August ) which emerge en masse from dozens of holes in our backyard.

Has anyone seen a Skokie cicada? Does anyone have any theories?

None over here in Central Evanston, either.

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Chicago Craft Beer Week!

No cicadas yet in Montreal. I'm really looking forward to introducing the cuisine nouvelled de cicada to the locals. :^)

Needless to say, they're already singing away in KC.

BTW way Ramon, your gorgeous photography notwithstanding, you DO realize, don't you, that you missed a prime opportunity to have




¡Soft-shelled Cicada!

something we ALL would like to hear reported upon.

Geo

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Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick!