Cicadas: What The Buzz?

After a 17-year hiatus, cicadas are expected to swarm the Indiana area in the coming weeks.


Jennifer Quintano, Writer-East

After another seventeen years they are back with a pack!

Cicadas come every year–in a small groups. But, every seventeen years, they come back in the droves, swarming the skies and trees. They’re expected to arrive by the millions towards the end of May and “bug out” the first few weeks of July. 

People will definitely hear when he cicadas arrive. Their buzzing sound can be deafening at times–resembling the background music in many horror films. Residents will also have no trouble recognizing these creatures when they do show up uninvited. Cicadas have large red eyes; their wings are usually clear (if not, they’re tinted orange): they have six jointed legs, as well as a solid black head, thorax, and abdomen.

Bianca Flores, a freshman at Elkhart-East, agrees that they are one of the most ugly bugs. “They look disgusting!” she states. “I see why people would freak out, especially if they are in groups,” she adds. “They do look like they would harm humans,” she continues, “but most people freak out over any bug!”

Flores is correct. Many admit that they are terrified of cicadas due to their looks and, therefore, conclude that the bugs are dangerous. However, despite the fact that they may look horrifying and disgusting, they are harmless. They cannot bite due to having no mouths, nor can they sting. The most cicadas could do to a human is pinch with their feet. 

Cicadas usually are located in the Midwest–not only Indiana but also in Tennessee, Washington D.C., Virginia, Illinois, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, Maryland, and Michigan. 

As annoying as cicadas can be to yard cleanup and outdoor events, they are actually very useful when it comes to trees, especially. After cicadas are done mating, the female lays her eggs on a tree, which kills the weak branches. This helps the tree not waste its energy on branches that were weak. Additionally, when cicadas die, they end up in the soil, which give the trees a load of fertilizer.

How about for humans? Are they a viable food source for people? Yes, it’s true! Cicadas are edible! This may not sound–or look–appealing, but according to people who have tried them, they say that cicadas taste like shrimp (“shrimp from the ground” some like to call them). This possibly could mean that people who are allergic to seafood could be at risk. So, check into it before scooping up a bowl full from the yard.

While someone will likely attempt to eat them raw, there are a plethora of better ways to serve them up. Eat them covered in chocolate; serve them in tacos; cook them on a pizza; add them, even, into stir fry.  However, not everyone will be up for the challenge. “Honestly,” Flores insists, “I would never want to try them at all! But, if I had to have them in any way, it would have to be with chocolate!”

Whether they might crash the outdoor family evening, help tree health, or find their way into someone’s stomach, cicadas will be “bugging” the Midwest in one way or another this year!