No Cicadas Here...Yet

The newspapers, radio, and TV stations around Chicago are full of reports about this invasion that is taking place. Millions of 17 year cicadas are making their appearance and soon the air will be split with their mating calls. This is expected to last the full month of June.

On Monday, one man estimated about 100,000 of the critters around one single tree in a forest preserve out south of here. Most reports from scientists thus far say this is the biggest brood in memory. Their mating sound is at 96 decibels, about as loud as a jet flying close overhead.

Old growth trees will be the most overrun. Chicago's sprawl has ranged far and wide since this brood began in 1990 and the new subdivisions probably will have very few. Our subdivision in Spring Grove, Illinois, was mostly farm fields in 1990, with the first houses, including ours, built in 1992. We probably won't have much of a visit.

Some adventurous souls are actually eating them in a variety of ways. They are supposed to taste like nuts and the internet is hopping with recipes from appetizers, to pizza toppings, to desserts.

Parkside Pub in nearby Huntley, Illinois, is the home to the annual Turkey Testicle Festival every Wedneday before Thanksgiving, an event that draws huge crowds, and where last year 1,200 pounds of the "delicacy" were devoured. Owner Mark McDonald figures his customers will eat about anything so he'll hit hit them with some cicada dishes. He's thinking chocolate-covered and deep-fried.

The Chicago Tribune ran a recipe for a cicada pizza. Check it Out.

Reckon I'll have to get over to the Parkside and give it a try. Anyone want to come with me?

Munching, Munching On Those Tasty Little Delicacies. Hey pass me some more cicadas. --RoadDog