If you are riding in and around the Mid-Atlantic States make sure your wind screen is on! The 17 year cicadas swarm is here! New reports indicate they are popping up near Manassas
, VA and will soon be everywhere. At the peak some areas will have 1,500,000 bugs per acre. At up to two inches in size I do not want to take one to the face or chest at 50 miles per hour or faster.
Here are few interesting facts about these guys from CicadaMania.com:
They’ll attack land on you if you’re using a power tool or lawn mower. Cicadas think the sounds made by power tools and lawn maintenance equipment are made by cicadas. They get confused and will land on the people using the equipment! Tip: cut your lawn in the early morning or near dusk when the cicadas are less active.
People eat them: People eat them. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. There, uh, cicada kabobs, cicada creole, cicada gumbo, pan-fried, deep fried, stir fried. There’s pineapple cicada, lemon cicada, coconut cicada, pepper cicada, cicada soup, cicada stew, cicada salad, cicada and potatoes, cicada burger, cicada sandwich… that’s, that’s about it.
Cicadas pee: Yes cicadas pee, so wear a hat when walking under trees if that sort of thing bothers you. Cicadas drink tree fluids, and then expel the excess fluid they do now need. People call it “honey dew” or “cicada rain”.
And to help you plan your rides… here is map showing the areas affected by the 17 year swarm. Also, a special thanks to Chas with the Northern Virginia Motorcycle Club for inspiring this post. If you are going on a motorcycle ride…make sure you have the Windex on hand.
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 