Flashback to 2007; in this blog I have depleted my current photo inventory to share since quarantine has greatly limited new experiences that I might share with you. I began this blog in 2010 so sharing images prior to that year made sense to me. The spring of 2007 saw the emergence of the 17 year Cicada in the Chicago area. Copyright 2020 Pamela BreitbergSome people were horrified with their invasion. My daughter and others were delighted. An important reality is that these 17 year Cicadas do NOT reap havoc on vegetation and crops as Locusts and other swarming insects have been known to do. They are edible and the local paper runs recipes for those adventurous souls. Here ishttps://www.chicagotribune.com/weather/ct-wea-0428-asktom-20170427-column.html an article for more details. Copyright 2020 Pamela BreitbergThis image was taken in our garden. There was a large population of 17 year Cicadas in our suburb north of Chicago. Interestingly the school where I taught in an inner city area of Chicago had virtually NO Cicada emergence. This void in 17 year Cicadas was due to the beginning of their life cycle. Eggs are laid in twigs or trees or shrubs: trees and shrub. Also loose soil is needed ffor newborn nymphs to burrow into for 17 years. Both of these habitat ingrediant are hard to find in the low income areas of Chicago; their environment was not conducive for 17 year Cicada survival. Not wanting to interfere with mother nature, I could only show my students these photographs so they could remotely experience this phenomenon. Finally you can see the exoskeletons of nymphs who have molted into adulthood. Copyright 2020 Pamela Breitberg
