The Origin of Cicadas

[Rich Lee]

Cicadas, the 17-year version, are currently plaguing many states. These creatures are not poisonous and do not have a stinger. They serve no known useful function. They are not part of the food chain. Half of the population are males who spend their time singing or calling for the females to mate. The annoyance from their loud singing, which can reach 100db is almost unbearable, and is tempered by the fact that the periodic cicadas are only emerge for 4-to-6 weeks, every 17 years.

They are most annoying for a number of reasons. Their bodies cover our automobile's windshields as we drive. They are forever flying into us or landing on us. Yet, they seem proud of their flying skills. They are unwanted, loud, obnoxious, rowdy, driven it seems by a search for sex and determined to thoroughly annoy the human race. Many have wondered where they come from.

A recent theory is that these obnoxious useless creatures are really helicopter pilots returned to their natural state.

[Lu Zuckerman]

To: Rich Lee

It is obvious in your condemnation of Cicadae that you have never lived on the shores of Lake Erie. On Lake Erie and I assume on the other Great (and lesser) Lakes they have the following problem. That problem depending on your points of view are called June Bugs because they arrive in June but actually they are May Flies.

The May Flies hatch at the bottom of the lake and when mature rise to the surface. They eat through holes in the sides of their bodies. They are moved by the wind currents and eventually make it to shore. Once on shore they dry out and are capable of flight and once dry they can’t eat so they only live for a couple of days. They don’t make noise, they don’t smell, but they do swarm. In swarms they are attracted to light and can obscure a light in a very short period. The Toledo Harbor light was obscured to the point that ships several miles away could not see the light. The light keepers had to hose the bugs off the lantern house and they had to do this several times a night for four or five nights.

The May Flies would get so thick on the highway that semi trucks would lose traction and skid out.

As I had stated above most people called them June Bugs because they arrived in June but actually they are May Flies. However if you lived on the southern shores of Lake Erie they were called Canadian Soldiers

:E :E

[Lu Zuckerman]

To: Rich Lee

I live on an Island and the Ottawa Rver flows about a block and a half from our home. There is a large lake on either end of the short run of the river and guess what? The May Flies have arrived albeit not in the same numbers as on Lake Erie.

As an American living in Canada I have often wondered if the people in Ontario refer to the May Flies as American Soldiers.

Any comments from the guys from Ontario? Widgeon?


:E :E

[diethelm]

Rich:

Why is it that Cicadas only come during Republican administrations?

[Rich Lee]

Why is it that Cicadas only come during Republican administrations? I dunno, why?

[diethelm]

I dunno either,

Michael Moore said it was not a coincidence so I was looking towards my elders for answers.