May 21, 2013 • 28 mins
Cicadas are crawling out from underground, where they have been hiding in the darkness for almost two decades. As of May 2013, they're invading the East Coast from North Carolina to New York. But why? Learn more about cicadas with Josh and Chuck.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to stuff you should know front House stuff Works
dot com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark.
There's Charles w Chuck Bryant, and I put the two
of us together. But it's in a room with a
two dollar I kea lamp and three dollar I key
(00:22):
at table and a thousand dollars with the microphones. Yes
that's what matters. And Jerry, and you've got yourself stuff
you should have and a million dollars worth the Jerry. Yeah,
she's just like one day. That's right. You got a
good intro for this, No do you no? Just talkxicatas.
This is what I was thinking. Um, I guess if
(00:43):
you'd like me to give an intro, it would be
something like, Chuck, have you ever experienced summer? I have
in the South? Summer in the South? For me, Cicada's
I associate cicada sicot h either one. You know what
they say, Josh, what you say Cicada? I say Cicada.
(01:08):
I say Cicada. Yeah it is Cicada. Actually, I have
a very quick funny story. I have a friend named
Andrew who had a friend who tried out as a
singer for some Broadway show or something, and she did
that song, but she did not had never heard the song,
I think, and she sang, you say potato, I say potato,
(01:28):
and didn't know. And that was how she auditioned, like
she just had read it, she guess. So she got
it wrong or read it or something, and it was,
you know, potato, potato, tomato, tomato. And I got a
good laugh out of the people. That's a good story, Yeah,
I thought so. I've always that's a good one. Andrews listening,
He probably not. Hello, Hey, how's it going? Alright? So
moving on? Sorry cicadas, Yes, cicada. I think we should
(01:51):
agree to say cicadas. Well, it is cicada. I was
just cooving, okay. Um, And if you're talking about cicada
you have probably a certain type of mind. But there
are actually, there are a number of species I've seen
anywhere between two depending on who you ask. There you go,
um and uh, the one though that that I think
(02:12):
everybody thinks of when they think cicada, especially when they
think cicada infestation. As um, the magic acada is the
species name. Yeah, it's uh, their periodical cicadas. And that's
what we're going to be concentrating on, right, And those
are the ones that are all over the news. If
you're on the Eastern seaboard right now, you've been hearing
them or hearing about them. Cicada invasion, Cicada invasion. And
(02:37):
in fact, if you go to uh, magic Cicada, that's
all I say it. I like magic Acada dot org.
There's a there's a map there that shows you where
they are currently hatching. Yeah, they have a lot of
great resources on that site. Yeah. People get really excited
because it's such a weird, freaky unique thing. Yeah, it is.
(02:58):
That happens every or well that's not true. It happens,
you know, more frequently. But each brood we'll hatch every
seventeen or thirteen years, right, it happens every year, depending
on the type of brood. Exactly, Um this year. Yes,
we're in brood too. And there are two two types
of um broods, or two types of periodic broods. And
(03:20):
by the way, periodic broods, the ones that emerge after
thirteen years or seventeen years, are native and indigenous only
to North America. Oh yeah, yeah, so it's like our
special thing. Yeah. So if you're talking about Cicada Invasion
two thus thirteen to a British person or gear and
be like, I don't know what you're talking about, but
um oh we should say, chuck, We're going to be
a part of this in our own way. Yeah, we're
(03:44):
gonna be on the TV for Science Channel Cicada Invasion
two thousand thirteen on Sunday. Right. Yeah, they're doing lots
of cool programming and they have gotten us to provide
some little bumpers and moments in between with a cool
professor that's going to be and he is, and with
propetor Mike. Yeah, my professor, Mike Route. He is the foremost,
(04:07):
um utmost and foremost steam expert on um cicadas and
he's Maryland terrapists that right, I believe. So alright, So yeah,
it's called Cicadas and Invaders two thousand thirteen. It's on Sunday,
Science Channel. It goes from eight to eleven PM, but
we're hosting the nine to eleven PM segment, which includes
(04:28):
the dramatic climax. Yeah. But so we're gonna be there
on Science Channel on that day, so go check it out.
So we know a lot about cicadas, and this is
why that's right. So um again you said, uh, magic cicada.
I like magic acada for that, but um, the seventeen
(04:49):
year brewed species is what's coming out along the eastern seaboard. Um.
And they're going to be eventually black with orange veined
wings and red eyes. Yeah, generally they have red eyes, although, um,
you can occasionally spot a very rare blue eyed or
silver eyed. Um, but you cannot get money for those.
(05:10):
Did you hear about that rumor? In two thousand and four,
I think there was a rumor that Johns Hopkins was
paying money for blue eyed cicadas if you could find them,
and they were like, no, no, stop bringing those. It's
neat and it's rare, but we're not offering money up
for this, but thank you. We'll take them for free,
those suckers. But generally they're a little Steve A. Simon
looking red eye things, you know. And and we should
(05:32):
also say, here's what the big deal is. This is
why it's called like invaders in the invasion in Cicada
apple apocalypse. I just made that one up two thousand
thirteen from people who don't live here. Um, this happens
with the brood like every seventeen years, and broods are
incredibly well synchronized, and there are billions of these things,
(05:53):
and because they're synchronized, billions of cicadas are going to
all emerge from the ground pretty much at once in
an air. Yeah. In fact, Professor Ralph himself was quoted
in a thing I read today said, Um, there's a boatload.
There could be a billion per square mile, dude, right,
not a billion overall, like a billion in your like
(06:16):
you and your neighbors backyards. Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, I
think it's more like one and a half million per
acre at its peak. So you and three other neighbors
you got one and a half million. So rap was wrong. No,
he said a square mile. Okay, square mom, Yeah, no
he's not. I don't think he's wrong about anything that
has the cads. Um. Yeah, we haven't met him yet.
(06:39):
We're leaving in a couple of days. Actually, in the
real time, we have high hopes. Yeah, of course, So
I guess you want to talk about what these guys
look like. Guys and gals look like alright, aside from
the orange veins, that's right. Um, they are in the
order him up tera, which anything has piercing and sucking
mouthparts is in that order, right, And um, you got
(07:02):
a wingspan between two and a half centimeters to fifteen
And have you seen the big ones, man, they're huge,
like palm in your hand. Big. Yeah. The ones in
the tropics are are up to like six inches long
their body, not their wingspan. That's crazy. Um, they are
bad flyers. I guess I'm gonna just guess here and
say because they're not around long, they're not a lot
(07:24):
of experience. They're probably kind of heavy, yea, you know,
they're not very aerodynamic heavy for their wings. And um,
I think you just kicked up point one of what
makes cicada's the affable, lovable member of the insect goose
balls that they are. They have two sets of wings
one two pairs of wings, and they can't fly very well.
(07:48):
So that's no, that's one. Yeah, they have the outer
wings are glassy and transparent, and they're longer and they
covered the shorter opaque wings, and um, they look formidable
when you look at the wings are all vany and
like they look sturdy. Yeah they're not. They're not. They're
not for the icadus. Here's the other funny thing. They
have three pairs of legs, but they're not good jumpers
even though they try to. Yeah, all their legs are
(08:10):
about the same length, so they're kind of clumsy. They
can't fly very well. They can't jump very well, that's
the point to. So they have those big goofy red eyes,
and then they have three compound eyes and three tiny
little eyes and uh in between on the top of
their head called ossily and they of course watch for
the birds and other predators that lurk above. Right, So
(08:31):
they have the really great peripheral vision from the compound
eyes on the side and then great I guess airborne
vision worms eye vision, that's right. And a couple of
little bristle like antenna behind the little um asila assily eyes.
I guess that would be repetitive to say or redundant
say assily eyes, because that's what they are, but you
(08:52):
know what I'm saying. Then they have those mouthparts that
we mentioned, and they are in a sheath, a beak
like sheath called labium, which they just tuck there between
their legs unless they need to use it, which is
what they do in there. They eat that um that
sheath flabium holds four little um stickers called stylet's their
(09:12):
their needle like, and they jam it into the plant
or like the leaf and they just suck it up
like a straw. That and reproduction is that's the point
of the cicada's life. Yeah, well that's what they did.
Reproduction in those really the point, you know what I'm saying.
They like to they like to do it. They're like
recipute and uh boy, people can be like that's a
(09:36):
random thing to say. Weeks later you'll understand. So they're
famous though for uh, not only for their weird seventeen
year or thirteen year emergence, but they're loud, loud singing,
and before we go on to describe it, we might
as well just hear it, don't you think so? A
(09:56):
brief little audio bit here from Jerry. This is the
Kada singing. Jerry's gonna make a cicada call. That was
(10:22):
really good, Jerry, Uh and really good, Mr Cicada. And
I say mr. Because it's only the men that are singing.
The males. Why do they sing? Well, two reasons, to
attract females to mate and to scare off birds. Because
it is so freaking loud. It will scare off birds. So, um,
this it is extraordinarily loud. The cicada call the males
(10:47):
mating songs, especially when they get together. And I've seen, yeah,
I've seen that. Doctor Mike said that it was recorded
at like ninety four decibels, which is like a standing
next to a lawnmower. But basically, but if this is
this is a sound made by an insect, and it's everywhere.
It fills the air for someone who hasn't experienced to
like a chorus of male cicadas all singing together, it's everywhere.
(11:10):
It's really loud. And in fact, you said lawnmower. The
females can actually be attracted to lawnmars and weed eaters.
Is that right? Yeah, that's crazy. And just to give
you an idea, between eighty and ninety decibles is when
the threat of hearing loss begins. Um, and like you said,
lawn mowars, and about one twenty as a rock concert,
about one forty as a jet engine. And these things
(11:33):
are a little tiny insects. But remember that. And again
Dr Mike said, uh, ninety four was what he'd seen recorded.
But I have also read up to a hundred and
twenty decibles. Yeah, that's really really loud. Yeah, And apparently
you can get so high that humans can't hear them.
But if your dog is going berserker, you're in like
North Carolina or Maryland or something, that might be why.
(11:53):
And yeah, the smaller species make higher pitched ones. I guess,
So how are they doing this? Oh? Well, um, they
have Actually a lot of people think that it's a chirp,
maybe like a cricket rubs its legs together. You would
be wrong. We should say that cicadas are closer to
aphids than crickets, right, um. And they're also not using
(12:15):
any vocal cords because they lack those. What they do
have are these little membranes on the sides of their abdomens.
And these membranes are they're called timbles, and they're connected
to um well, I guess they're inside by a little muscle, right,
And when the muscle contracts, the timble bends increased forms
(12:37):
in it, and then when the muscle relaxes, the timble
goes back to taught again and that makes a clicking sound.
And if you do that a bunch of times, what
you have is the cicada song. Yeah, and they don't
know why it's so loud or how it's so loud. Um,
I did read something. I'm not sure if it's verified
that there are like, uh pockets in the abdomen that
(12:57):
make it louder or something. But still such a small insect.
I mean, it's like I said, it can be big,
but that's still an insect, right. And this sound, like
you said, it messes with birds. Um. It can scare
them off, but it can also even the ones that
aren't scared off. It prevents birds from hunting and packs
because they can't communicate with one another because it's so loud.
So it's also a defense mechanism. It's a mating call,
(13:20):
and apparently certain species make a certain sound to prevent
I guess interspecial mixing. Well, they want to be with
their own kind, you know, right, because they don't have
too many shots at this And they're doing all this
um up in the trees, right. Yeah. And it's usually
during the heat of the day when the when this
music is going on. You say music, I say chainsaw. Uh.
(13:44):
Oh does it bother you? I think it's so soothing.
Have you ever been among the invasion? Yeah? It it
to me it's not soothing because it's so loud and
so continuous that it's sort of like drives me mad.
Actually it's neat though. It's cool because you know it's
gonna end and it crests and it falls, and it
crests and it falls, you know, so like you know
(14:06):
it's gonna I just think it's really neat. It is neat. Um.
So it is so loud though. They even have a
protection protective measure for themselves. Um. Males and females have
these mirror like membranes, a pair of them called timpana,
and they're sort of like their ears, and basically there's
a short tendon connected and when they're shouting out with
(14:27):
their call, they will retract the tendon and it basically
just sort of creases and closes their ears so they
don't have to hear. Right, it's like shuts it. Yeah,
it's like a little they're like one of the mechanical function.
Yeah exactly. Um, alright, so let's talk about the mating
and the you know, the egging and the ovipositive thing.
(14:48):
So this is this is like pretty much the whole
reason a cicada comes to life. This is why they
invade is to mate and reproduce. Right. So, once the
males have attracted some females over like, they'll they search
for one another. They do some terrible jumping and some
bad flying and hey mama, they'll finally come up upon
one another and be like, I like you, I like you,
(15:10):
And then they go off. And after they mate, the
female um carves some notches into the stoma of plants
and yeah, and then uses her ovipositor, which is an
egg laying appendage, and um deposits up to six eggs
in one little session. And then um the eggs start
(15:30):
to hatch and they actually fall down out of the
tree as larva, these little nymphs. Yeah, okay, so their
nymphs then and they so they go through the larval
stage in the tree and then fall down out as nymphs.
And then they burrow. Yeah, they immediately root underground as
a protective measure, and then they start growing and repeatedly
shutting their skin over seventeen years seventeen years, So think
(15:55):
about this. A the average cicada lives seven in teen years.
If it's a periodic seventeen years cicada, it's average lifespan
is seventeen years underground and then two months above ground
and then they die, Yeah, like four to six weeks generally,
So like they spend almost all their life as young
immature cicadas getting ready to be adults for two months
(16:19):
or less so they can reproduce ones and then nuts.
It is nuts. It's pretty neat. Though. If you don't
have cicadas and you're like, what's going on, it means
you probably don't have a lot of deciduous trees where
you are. Yeah, they like fruit trees to yeah. Um,
so don't get bummed out. Dis go visit your neighbor
if they have some you've gotten yoaks uh. And the
question why are they under there for so long? There
(16:40):
are a bunch of theories. I can't wait to talk
to the professor Mike though in a couple of days.
But the leading theory I've heard is that it's like
in evolutionary rhythm that they developed to not get eaten
avoid predators. Now, that is why there are billions of
these things in a square mile or two, and it's
because they have relatively few predators underground. There's a type
(17:02):
of fungus that that can attack them, and it can
be transferred from generation to generation. There are beetle larva
that will eat them, but for the most part they're
out of the grasp of like their their main predators,
like birds or whatever. So they do manage to survive,
but then so many of them come up and die
(17:22):
like very quickly that actually something called predators satiation comes about,
which means that like the birds just fly off because
they're so full they can't eat anymore. And it still
doesn't significantly impact the number of cicadas. Yeah, there's still
enough afterward to mate and keep the species alive. And yeah,
like you're tired of eating us yet, I'm so full
(17:45):
of cicadas, Like, fine, now we'll mate. Yeah, let's get
it on. The birds are full, apparently a lot of
more born cripple, yeah, especially thanks to long chemicals. Yeah,
and uh, have you ever there's a time lapse on
YouTube of one coming out. It's uh exoskeleton. It's pretty
pretty awesome. So we should say when they when they
(18:06):
emerge from their burrows on their chimneys, little mud chimneys. Right,
they're adults, but they're called tenoral adults. They're not quite
to the adult stage yet. What happens is they have
to mold. They're exoskeleton, which you'll find like attached to
a tree or something like that. Yeah, which are you know,
it's cool and crazy. Oh, it's super cool. Yeah. And
then once they mold, then that's the last time they're
(18:27):
going to Then they're full fledged adults. And then they
have like four to six weeks. Yeah maybe, like that's
if you successfully make it through bird season and get
the mate. Like a lot of these guys die, like
you know, within days or weeks. And they dig themselves
out too, with little little shovels on their it's almost
like shovels on their legs and they just dig up
(18:48):
and they're like, hey, we're here, yep, look out for
that birdom already dead or oh shoot, I'm crippled or man,
I can't fly seventeen years and I can't fly and
here comes a bird. And apparently one of the one
of the things that will kill a cicada is incomplete molting,
Like they'll just get stuck and die. That's gonna be
a bad way to go, Yeah, I guess. I mean,
(19:09):
since there's billions of them, there's all manner of like
awful things and most of them, so we should say
cicadas are known for just huge infestations, invasions, whatever you
want to call it, on a thirteen year seventeen year cycle.
And there's so many of them all at once because
there's so many of them a but also because they're
like in synchronicity. And they think the reason why they
(19:32):
all emerge usually at night, all at once is because
they're all following the same que and they're pretty sure
it has to do with ground temperature. Yeah, they think
that because evolutionary um rhythm, well they and I think
it's probably tied together like that rhythm is based on
the temperature changes, and then there would have to be
(19:55):
some sort of rhythm because the temperature is gonna hit.
I think when the temperature averages starts to every sixty
four degrees fahrenheight in the ground, that's when you're gonna
start to see cicada's emerging. But that's gonna happen seventeen
times or sixteen times before that seventeenth year, so there
does have to be some other pattern that they're following
so they don't emerge sooner, right, But it's just one dude.
(20:16):
They were at the front. This's like you know, Ralph
the old man. Alright, guys, it's been seventeen years. Let's
do it. Let's do this thing. Uh and you mentioned
the temperature change, but that that makes sense because uh,
they they hatch you know, from a southerly south southerly
to northernly northerly or northernly. Uh southerly northerly. Yeah, let's
(20:38):
hears up the coast. Okay, Yeah, like you'll see him
in Georgia first, and then North Carolina and then Virginia
and then d C and then all the way up
the Hudson Valley of New York apparently. So if you
were in Philadelphia or DC or New York City even
you might see some cicadas this year. Yeah, there's a
mathematical formula for predicting wind. You'll see cicadas in your
(21:01):
neck of the woods. So you go to weather underground
dot com and you find out you go on their
almanac and look at April and you figure out what
the average April temperature was in Celsius right back down.
And then here's the mathematical formula E, which is the
emerging state in May. Number E equals parentheses nineteen point
(21:25):
six five minus t, which is that average April temperature
and celsus divided by zero point five one three six.
That number will give you the date that the cicadas
are going to emerge around your area. And apparently it's
tried and true. Or you can go to magic Magic
Cicada dot org and click on the map. If you're
not in a math and you like pictures, or if
(21:49):
you like both, do both. Yeah, that's true. Um, I
don't think I have anything else. I would definitely go
look up that time lapse on YouTube. It's pretty cool.
I've got more, all right, Well, you know how I
said that they're this kind of the stumbly bumbly lovable,
affable creatures of the insect world. So not only can
they not fly very well, they can't jump very well.
(22:09):
They genuinely lack defenses. Aside from their call, they can't
do anything well. They don't buy it or sting people,
even though they look scary. They don't carry disease. They
prey on trees, only their herbivores, if you can call
an insect that. But even if a tree um flags
is what it called it like, becomes weakened from too
(22:32):
many cicadas feeding on it trees still bounce back, so
they kill nothing while they're alive. Sure, you don't need
to be afraid of them. They look intimidating. But if
they land on you, like hold them in your hand. Well,
even still, even if you hold them in the hand,
a male will make a defensive buzzing. That's kind of scary,
and you can scary. It's all. It's all show, it's
all talked. They're not gonna buy you, they're not gonna
(22:53):
sting you. Um, they're really sweet little little boogers, and
I welcome them. That's yeah. If also you welcome them
into your belly or you want to. There's a lot
of cicada recipes out there. I have a bad feeling
we're gonna be asked to eat some of this stuff.
Is that right? It's possible. I guess everyone's gonna have
(23:14):
to tune in on Sunday, May twenty to find out.
I'm not as adventurous as you are when it comes
to eating things. Speaking a cookie, I would try it.
I don't think they do that. I think it's more
like you know, no, no, you mean made cicada cookies.
And she said tastes like cookie. Well, but I think
the traditional way is to like eat them like you
(23:35):
would crickets, like to put them in a pan with
some salt. I know. I saw some like serious in
depth recipes. Yeah, I mean, sure you could grind up
cicadas and put them in lasagna or your pizza or whatever.
I didn't see ground up. I saw blanched tenoral adults. Yeah,
so you want to get them before like there. Really
she said it was fine, but she didn't grind him up.
(23:55):
She just put like a whole cicada in the cookie.
I don't know how she made them like that. Maybe
broke them up. Interesting because I didn't get the impression
that it was like, yeah, she's just when she was
just kind of like, yeah, I mean, there's nothing really,
so I would imagine that they were broken up in
some way. I don't think, or maybe it's like the
eminem cookies. You just stick it in the top when
it's right. I saw those two, you know, Yeah, it's
(24:15):
just a little disgusting treat in the middle. So I
should probably wait for them to die of natural causes,
maybe an incomplete mold to grab some of those in
and bake them there you go, or kids grab grab
some exoskeletons because they look neat and they look just
like the like, you know, the shell of the cicada.
So but you know, bring one of those to school
and build on your friend. Yeah. And if you get
(24:35):
into this and you find it very thrilling, there's a
lot of citizens science projects around where um that has
to do with counting cicadas, measuring cicadas, UM, trying to
do cicada calls. I just made that last one up,
but you could do that and if you want him.
There's a culture surrounding this exact it's interesting to go
online and look it up. Uh. If you want to
(24:58):
know more about cicadas. First of all, you can watch
are special Cicators and Invaders two thousand thirteen on Science
Channel on Sunday. Cicators like you're British and Invaders UM
on Sunday from eight to eleven pm. And we're gonna
be on nine to olympm on Science Ye. Uh. And
(25:18):
since I just said that, it's time for message break, right,
that's right, and then listen to mail. Uh And now
it's time for listening. Yeah, I'm gonna call this uh
truth Serum in Columbia. Remember we did that show on
(25:39):
truth Storm. Yes, all right, this is from CALAROI zerbos
and listeners. Since two thousand eight is a great name,
didn't it. Yeah, guys, you recently aired a podcast on
the existence of a truth serum and mentioned the use
of scopelamine. You also referenced the Vice TV article in
which they claimed drug trapp or kers use it and
(26:02):
shout out device. By the way, Yeah, we're gonna be
doing some bloggings for them soon. Good programming. Um, well, guys,
I just want you to know I lived in Columbia
for twelve years, loved every minute of it, and I've
known several people who have been victims of scopelamine attacks. However,
it is not drug traffickers who use this, but rather
it's just fans of fieves and criminals. Drug traffickers actually
(26:22):
do not need to attack random people to pull income.
It's the petty thieves who do. Um all occurred in
the middle of the day in good neighborhoods of Bogata
by well dressed, middle aged attackers. It's most commonly dusted
onto a piece of paper, which is then handed to
the victim by the culprit under the guise of asking
for directions within ten and fifteen minutes. If you're out
(26:43):
wide awake, compliant and unaware, but unable to remember what
happened afterwards, you were also quite ill, and more often
than not you end up in the hospital with your
stomach plot. Usually your bank account and valuables are emptied
in your apartment. In one case, a friend of mine
had his Empire apartment emptied of everything. Oh my god,
and he was just sitting there the whole time. Basically,
(27:04):
I guess so, man. Anyway, it's pretty frightening and at
times lethal. Most Columbians therefore will not accept anything handed
them on the street and in clubs, well, no one
ever puts their drink down, if you know what I mean.
Thanks again with the excellent show. And that is again
Calorie Servos, And that is frightening. Yeah. I bet when
Columbians go to Vegas they're just like overwhelmed, you know,
(27:26):
like on every sta corner, guys are handing trying to
hand Oh yeah, yeah, I'll bet they freak out. Yeah, seriously, Uh,
tell me the name again, Calorie Zervos. Thank you very much,
Calorie Zervos. Calaroi and Calaroi Zervos k l e r
o I. That's not calorie like counting Candar Caloroi Zervos.
(27:46):
That has a great name. Uh. If you want to
let us know your name, you can tweet to us
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Welcome to stuff you should know front House stuff Works
dot com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark.
There's Charles w Chuck Bryant, and I put the two
of us together. But it's in a room with a
two dollar I kea lamp and three dollar I key
(00:22):
at table and a thousand dollars with the microphones. Yes
that's what matters. And Jerry, and you've got yourself stuff
you should have and a million dollars worth the Jerry. Yeah,
she's just like one day. That's right. You got a
good intro for this, No do you no? Just talkxicatas.
This is what I was thinking. Um, I guess if
(00:43):
you'd like me to give an intro, it would be
something like, Chuck, have you ever experienced summer? I have
in the South? Summer in the South? For me, Cicada's
I associate cicada sicot h either one. You know what
they say, Josh, what you say Cicada? I say Cicada.
(01:08):
I say Cicada. Yeah it is Cicada. Actually, I have
a very quick funny story. I have a friend named
Andrew who had a friend who tried out as a
singer for some Broadway show or something, and she did
that song, but she did not had never heard the song,
I think, and she sang, you say potato, I say potato,
(01:28):
and didn't know. And that was how she auditioned, like
she just had read it, she guess. So she got
it wrong or read it or something, and it was,
you know, potato, potato, tomato, tomato. And I got a
good laugh out of the people. That's a good story, Yeah,
I thought so. I've always that's a good one. Andrews listening,
He probably not. Hello, Hey, how's it going? Alright? So
moving on? Sorry cicadas, Yes, cicada. I think we should
(01:51):
agree to say cicadas. Well, it is cicada. I was
just cooving, okay. Um, And if you're talking about cicada
you have probably a certain type of mind. But there
are actually, there are a number of species I've seen
anywhere between two depending on who you ask. There you go,
um and uh, the one though that that I think
(02:12):
everybody thinks of when they think cicada, especially when they
think cicada infestation. As um, the magic acada is the
species name. Yeah, it's uh, their periodical cicadas. And that's
what we're going to be concentrating on, right, And those
are the ones that are all over the news. If
you're on the Eastern seaboard right now, you've been hearing
them or hearing about them. Cicada invasion, Cicada invasion. And
(02:37):
in fact, if you go to uh, magic Cicada, that's
all I say it. I like magic Acada dot org.
There's a there's a map there that shows you where
they are currently hatching. Yeah, they have a lot of
great resources on that site. Yeah. People get really excited
because it's such a weird, freaky unique thing. Yeah, it is.
(02:58):
That happens every or well that's not true. It happens,
you know, more frequently. But each brood we'll hatch every
seventeen or thirteen years, right, it happens every year, depending
on the type of brood. Exactly, Um this year. Yes,
we're in brood too. And there are two two types
of um broods, or two types of periodic broods. And
(03:20):
by the way, periodic broods, the ones that emerge after
thirteen years or seventeen years, are native and indigenous only
to North America. Oh yeah, yeah, so it's like our
special thing. Yeah. So if you're talking about Cicada Invasion
two thus thirteen to a British person or gear and
be like, I don't know what you're talking about, but
um oh we should say, chuck, We're going to be
a part of this in our own way. Yeah, we're
(03:44):
gonna be on the TV for Science Channel Cicada Invasion
two thousand thirteen on Sunday. Right. Yeah, they're doing lots
of cool programming and they have gotten us to provide
some little bumpers and moments in between with a cool
professor that's going to be and he is, and with
propetor Mike. Yeah, my professor, Mike Route. He is the foremost,
(04:07):
um utmost and foremost steam expert on um cicadas and
he's Maryland terrapists that right, I believe. So alright, So yeah,
it's called Cicadas and Invaders two thousand thirteen. It's on Sunday,
Science Channel. It goes from eight to eleven PM, but
we're hosting the nine to eleven PM segment, which includes
(04:28):
the dramatic climax. Yeah. But so we're gonna be there
on Science Channel on that day, so go check it out.
So we know a lot about cicadas, and this is
why that's right. So um again you said, uh, magic cicada.
I like magic acada for that, but um, the seventeen
(04:49):
year brewed species is what's coming out along the eastern seaboard. Um.
And they're going to be eventually black with orange veined
wings and red eyes. Yeah, generally they have red eyes, although, um,
you can occasionally spot a very rare blue eyed or
silver eyed. Um, but you cannot get money for those.
(05:10):
Did you hear about that rumor? In two thousand and four,
I think there was a rumor that Johns Hopkins was
paying money for blue eyed cicadas if you could find them,
and they were like, no, no, stop bringing those. It's
neat and it's rare, but we're not offering money up
for this, but thank you. We'll take them for free,
those suckers. But generally they're a little Steve A. Simon
looking red eye things, you know. And and we should
(05:32):
also say, here's what the big deal is. This is
why it's called like invaders in the invasion in Cicada
apple apocalypse. I just made that one up two thousand
thirteen from people who don't live here. Um, this happens
with the brood like every seventeen years, and broods are
incredibly well synchronized, and there are billions of these things,
(05:53):
and because they're synchronized, billions of cicadas are going to
all emerge from the ground pretty much at once in
an air. Yeah. In fact, Professor Ralph himself was quoted
in a thing I read today said, Um, there's a boatload.
There could be a billion per square mile, dude, right,
not a billion overall, like a billion in your like
(06:16):
you and your neighbors backyards. Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, I
think it's more like one and a half million per
acre at its peak. So you and three other neighbors
you got one and a half million. So rap was wrong. No,
he said a square mile. Okay, square mom, Yeah, no
he's not. I don't think he's wrong about anything that
has the cads. Um. Yeah, we haven't met him yet.
(06:39):
We're leaving in a couple of days. Actually, in the
real time, we have high hopes. Yeah, of course, So
I guess you want to talk about what these guys
look like. Guys and gals look like alright, aside from
the orange veins, that's right. Um, they are in the
order him up tera, which anything has piercing and sucking
mouthparts is in that order, right, And um, you got
(07:02):
a wingspan between two and a half centimeters to fifteen
And have you seen the big ones, man, they're huge,
like palm in your hand. Big. Yeah. The ones in
the tropics are are up to like six inches long
their body, not their wingspan. That's crazy. Um, they are
bad flyers. I guess I'm gonna just guess here and
say because they're not around long, they're not a lot
(07:24):
of experience. They're probably kind of heavy, yea, you know,
they're not very aerodynamic heavy for their wings. And um,
I think you just kicked up point one of what
makes cicada's the affable, lovable member of the insect goose
balls that they are. They have two sets of wings
one two pairs of wings, and they can't fly very well.
(07:48):
So that's no, that's one. Yeah, they have the outer
wings are glassy and transparent, and they're longer and they
covered the shorter opaque wings, and um, they look formidable
when you look at the wings are all vany and
like they look sturdy. Yeah they're not. They're not. They're
not for the icadus. Here's the other funny thing. They
have three pairs of legs, but they're not good jumpers
even though they try to. Yeah, all their legs are
(08:10):
about the same length, so they're kind of clumsy. They
can't fly very well. They can't jump very well, that's
the point to. So they have those big goofy red eyes,
and then they have three compound eyes and three tiny
little eyes and uh in between on the top of
their head called ossily and they of course watch for
the birds and other predators that lurk above. Right, So
(08:31):
they have the really great peripheral vision from the compound
eyes on the side and then great I guess airborne
vision worms eye vision, that's right. And a couple of
little bristle like antenna behind the little um asila assily eyes.
I guess that would be repetitive to say or redundant
say assily eyes, because that's what they are, but you
(08:52):
know what I'm saying. Then they have those mouthparts that
we mentioned, and they are in a sheath, a beak
like sheath called labium, which they just tuck there between
their legs unless they need to use it, which is
what they do in there. They eat that um that
sheath flabium holds four little um stickers called stylet's their
(09:12):
their needle like, and they jam it into the plant
or like the leaf and they just suck it up
like a straw. That and reproduction is that's the point
of the cicada's life. Yeah, well that's what they did.
Reproduction in those really the point, you know what I'm saying.
They like to they like to do it. They're like
recipute and uh boy, people can be like that's a
(09:36):
random thing to say. Weeks later you'll understand. So they're
famous though for uh, not only for their weird seventeen
year or thirteen year emergence, but they're loud, loud singing,
and before we go on to describe it, we might
as well just hear it, don't you think so? A
(09:56):
brief little audio bit here from Jerry. This is the
Kada singing. Jerry's gonna make a cicada call. That was
(10:22):
really good, Jerry, Uh and really good, Mr Cicada. And
I say mr. Because it's only the men that are singing.
The males. Why do they sing? Well, two reasons, to
attract females to mate and to scare off birds. Because
it is so freaking loud. It will scare off birds. So, um,
this it is extraordinarily loud. The cicada call the males
(10:47):
mating songs, especially when they get together. And I've seen, yeah,
I've seen that. Doctor Mike said that it was recorded
at like ninety four decibels, which is like a standing
next to a lawnmower. But basically, but if this is
this is a sound made by an insect, and it's everywhere.
It fills the air for someone who hasn't experienced to
like a chorus of male cicadas all singing together, it's everywhere.
(11:10):
It's really loud. And in fact, you said lawnmower. The
females can actually be attracted to lawnmars and weed eaters.
Is that right? Yeah, that's crazy. And just to give
you an idea, between eighty and ninety decibles is when
the threat of hearing loss begins. Um, and like you said,
lawn mowars, and about one twenty as a rock concert,
about one forty as a jet engine. And these things
(11:33):
are a little tiny insects. But remember that. And again
Dr Mike said, uh, ninety four was what he'd seen recorded.
But I have also read up to a hundred and
twenty decibles. Yeah, that's really really loud. Yeah, And apparently
you can get so high that humans can't hear them.
But if your dog is going berserker, you're in like
North Carolina or Maryland or something, that might be why.
(11:53):
And yeah, the smaller species make higher pitched ones. I guess,
So how are they doing this? Oh? Well, um, they
have Actually a lot of people think that it's a chirp,
maybe like a cricket rubs its legs together. You would
be wrong. We should say that cicadas are closer to
aphids than crickets, right, um. And they're also not using
(12:15):
any vocal cords because they lack those. What they do
have are these little membranes on the sides of their abdomens.
And these membranes are they're called timbles, and they're connected
to um well, I guess they're inside by a little muscle, right,
And when the muscle contracts, the timble bends increased forms
(12:37):
in it, and then when the muscle relaxes, the timble
goes back to taught again and that makes a clicking sound.
And if you do that a bunch of times, what
you have is the cicada song. Yeah, and they don't
know why it's so loud or how it's so loud. Um,
I did read something. I'm not sure if it's verified
that there are like, uh pockets in the abdomen that
(12:57):
make it louder or something. But still such a small insect.
I mean, it's like I said, it can be big,
but that's still an insect, right. And this sound, like
you said, it messes with birds. Um. It can scare
them off, but it can also even the ones that
aren't scared off. It prevents birds from hunting and packs
because they can't communicate with one another because it's so loud.
So it's also a defense mechanism. It's a mating call,
(13:20):
and apparently certain species make a certain sound to prevent
I guess interspecial mixing. Well, they want to be with
their own kind, you know, right, because they don't have
too many shots at this And they're doing all this
um up in the trees, right. Yeah. And it's usually
during the heat of the day when the when this
music is going on. You say music, I say chainsaw. Uh.
(13:44):
Oh does it bother you? I think it's so soothing.
Have you ever been among the invasion? Yeah? It it
to me it's not soothing because it's so loud and
so continuous that it's sort of like drives me mad.
Actually it's neat though. It's cool because you know it's
gonna end and it crests and it falls, and it
crests and it falls, you know, so like you know
(14:06):
it's gonna I just think it's really neat. It is neat. Um.
So it is so loud though. They even have a
protection protective measure for themselves. Um. Males and females have
these mirror like membranes, a pair of them called timpana,
and they're sort of like their ears, and basically there's
a short tendon connected and when they're shouting out with
(14:27):
their call, they will retract the tendon and it basically
just sort of creases and closes their ears so they
don't have to hear. Right, it's like shuts it. Yeah,
it's like a little they're like one of the mechanical function.
Yeah exactly. Um, alright, so let's talk about the mating
and the you know, the egging and the ovipositive thing.
(14:48):
So this is this is like pretty much the whole
reason a cicada comes to life. This is why they
invade is to mate and reproduce. Right. So, once the
males have attracted some females over like, they'll they search
for one another. They do some terrible jumping and some
bad flying and hey mama, they'll finally come up upon
one another and be like, I like you, I like you,
(15:10):
And then they go off. And after they mate, the
female um carves some notches into the stoma of plants
and yeah, and then uses her ovipositor, which is an
egg laying appendage, and um deposits up to six eggs
in one little session. And then um the eggs start
(15:30):
to hatch and they actually fall down out of the
tree as larva, these little nymphs. Yeah, okay, so their
nymphs then and they so they go through the larval
stage in the tree and then fall down out as nymphs.
And then they burrow. Yeah, they immediately root underground as
a protective measure, and then they start growing and repeatedly
shutting their skin over seventeen years seventeen years, So think
(15:55):
about this. A the average cicada lives seven in teen years.
If it's a periodic seventeen years cicada, it's average lifespan
is seventeen years underground and then two months above ground
and then they die, Yeah, like four to six weeks generally,
So like they spend almost all their life as young
immature cicadas getting ready to be adults for two months
(16:19):
or less so they can reproduce ones and then nuts.
It is nuts. It's pretty neat. Though. If you don't
have cicadas and you're like, what's going on, it means
you probably don't have a lot of deciduous trees where
you are. Yeah, they like fruit trees to yeah. Um,
so don't get bummed out. Dis go visit your neighbor
if they have some you've gotten yoaks uh. And the
question why are they under there for so long? There
(16:40):
are a bunch of theories. I can't wait to talk
to the professor Mike though in a couple of days.
But the leading theory I've heard is that it's like
in evolutionary rhythm that they developed to not get eaten
avoid predators. Now, that is why there are billions of
these things in a square mile or two, and it's
because they have relatively few predators underground. There's a type
(17:02):
of fungus that that can attack them, and it can
be transferred from generation to generation. There are beetle larva
that will eat them, but for the most part they're
out of the grasp of like their their main predators,
like birds or whatever. So they do manage to survive,
but then so many of them come up and die
(17:22):
like very quickly that actually something called predators satiation comes about,
which means that like the birds just fly off because
they're so full they can't eat anymore. And it still
doesn't significantly impact the number of cicadas. Yeah, there's still
enough afterward to mate and keep the species alive. And yeah,
like you're tired of eating us yet, I'm so full
(17:45):
of cicadas, Like, fine, now we'll mate. Yeah, let's get
it on. The birds are full, apparently a lot of
more born cripple, yeah, especially thanks to long chemicals. Yeah,
and uh, have you ever there's a time lapse on
YouTube of one coming out. It's uh exoskeleton. It's pretty
pretty awesome. So we should say when they when they
(18:06):
emerge from their burrows on their chimneys, little mud chimneys. Right,
they're adults, but they're called tenoral adults. They're not quite
to the adult stage yet. What happens is they have
to mold. They're exoskeleton, which you'll find like attached to
a tree or something like that. Yeah, which are you know,
it's cool and crazy. Oh, it's super cool. Yeah. And
then once they mold, then that's the last time they're
(18:27):
going to Then they're full fledged adults. And then they
have like four to six weeks. Yeah maybe, like that's
if you successfully make it through bird season and get
the mate. Like a lot of these guys die, like
you know, within days or weeks. And they dig themselves
out too, with little little shovels on their it's almost
like shovels on their legs and they just dig up
(18:48):
and they're like, hey, we're here, yep, look out for
that birdom already dead or oh shoot, I'm crippled or man,
I can't fly seventeen years and I can't fly and
here comes a bird. And apparently one of the one
of the things that will kill a cicada is incomplete molting,
Like they'll just get stuck and die. That's gonna be
a bad way to go, Yeah, I guess. I mean,
(19:09):
since there's billions of them, there's all manner of like
awful things and most of them, so we should say
cicadas are known for just huge infestations, invasions, whatever you
want to call it, on a thirteen year seventeen year cycle.
And there's so many of them all at once because
there's so many of them a but also because they're
like in synchronicity. And they think the reason why they
(19:32):
all emerge usually at night, all at once is because
they're all following the same que and they're pretty sure
it has to do with ground temperature. Yeah, they think
that because evolutionary um rhythm, well they and I think
it's probably tied together like that rhythm is based on
the temperature changes, and then there would have to be
(19:55):
some sort of rhythm because the temperature is gonna hit.
I think when the temperature averages starts to every sixty
four degrees fahrenheight in the ground, that's when you're gonna
start to see cicada's emerging. But that's gonna happen seventeen
times or sixteen times before that seventeenth year, so there
does have to be some other pattern that they're following
so they don't emerge sooner, right, But it's just one dude.
(20:16):
They were at the front. This's like you know, Ralph
the old man. Alright, guys, it's been seventeen years. Let's
do it. Let's do this thing. Uh and you mentioned
the temperature change, but that that makes sense because uh,
they they hatch you know, from a southerly south southerly
to northernly northerly or northernly. Uh southerly northerly. Yeah, let's
(20:38):
hears up the coast. Okay, Yeah, like you'll see him
in Georgia first, and then North Carolina and then Virginia
and then d C and then all the way up
the Hudson Valley of New York apparently. So if you
were in Philadelphia or DC or New York City even
you might see some cicadas this year. Yeah, there's a
mathematical formula for predicting wind. You'll see cicadas in your
(21:01):
neck of the woods. So you go to weather underground
dot com and you find out you go on their
almanac and look at April and you figure out what
the average April temperature was in Celsius right back down.
And then here's the mathematical formula E, which is the
emerging state in May. Number E equals parentheses nineteen point
(21:25):
six five minus t, which is that average April temperature
and celsus divided by zero point five one three six.
That number will give you the date that the cicadas
are going to emerge around your area. And apparently it's
tried and true. Or you can go to magic Magic
Cicada dot org and click on the map. If you're
not in a math and you like pictures, or if
(21:49):
you like both, do both. Yeah, that's true. Um, I
don't think I have anything else. I would definitely go
look up that time lapse on YouTube. It's pretty cool.
I've got more, all right, Well, you know how I
said that they're this kind of the stumbly bumbly lovable,
affable creatures of the insect world. So not only can
they not fly very well, they can't jump very well.
(22:09):
They genuinely lack defenses. Aside from their call, they can't
do anything well. They don't buy it or sting people,
even though they look scary. They don't carry disease. They
prey on trees, only their herbivores, if you can call
an insect that. But even if a tree um flags
is what it called it like, becomes weakened from too
(22:32):
many cicadas feeding on it trees still bounce back, so
they kill nothing while they're alive. Sure, you don't need
to be afraid of them. They look intimidating. But if
they land on you, like hold them in your hand. Well,
even still, even if you hold them in the hand,
a male will make a defensive buzzing. That's kind of scary,
and you can scary. It's all. It's all show, it's
all talked. They're not gonna buy you, they're not gonna
(22:53):
sting you. Um, they're really sweet little little boogers, and
I welcome them. That's yeah. If also you welcome them
into your belly or you want to. There's a lot
of cicada recipes out there. I have a bad feeling
we're gonna be asked to eat some of this stuff.
Is that right? It's possible. I guess everyone's gonna have
(23:14):
to tune in on Sunday, May twenty to find out.
I'm not as adventurous as you are when it comes
to eating things. Speaking a cookie, I would try it.
I don't think they do that. I think it's more
like you know, no, no, you mean made cicada cookies.
And she said tastes like cookie. Well, but I think
the traditional way is to like eat them like you
(23:35):
would crickets, like to put them in a pan with
some salt. I know. I saw some like serious in
depth recipes. Yeah, I mean, sure you could grind up
cicadas and put them in lasagna or your pizza or whatever.
I didn't see ground up. I saw blanched tenoral adults. Yeah,
so you want to get them before like there. Really
she said it was fine, but she didn't grind him up.
(23:55):
She just put like a whole cicada in the cookie.
I don't know how she made them like that. Maybe
broke them up. Interesting because I didn't get the impression
that it was like, yeah, she's just when she was
just kind of like, yeah, I mean, there's nothing really,
so I would imagine that they were broken up in
some way. I don't think, or maybe it's like the
eminem cookies. You just stick it in the top when
it's right. I saw those two, you know, Yeah, it's
(24:15):
just a little disgusting treat in the middle. So I
should probably wait for them to die of natural causes,
maybe an incomplete mold to grab some of those in
and bake them there you go, or kids grab grab
some exoskeletons because they look neat and they look just
like the like, you know, the shell of the cicada.
So but you know, bring one of those to school
and build on your friend. Yeah. And if you get
(24:35):
into this and you find it very thrilling, there's a
lot of citizens science projects around where um that has
to do with counting cicadas, measuring cicadas, UM, trying to
do cicada calls. I just made that last one up,
but you could do that and if you want him.
There's a culture surrounding this exact it's interesting to go
online and look it up. Uh. If you want to
(24:58):
know more about cicadas. First of all, you can watch
are special Cicators and Invaders two thousand thirteen on Science
Channel on Sunday. Cicators like you're British and Invaders UM
on Sunday from eight to eleven pm. And we're gonna
be on nine to olympm on Science Ye. Uh. And
(25:18):
since I just said that, it's time for message break, right,
that's right, and then listen to mail. Uh And now
it's time for listening. Yeah, I'm gonna call this uh
truth Serum in Columbia. Remember we did that show on
(25:39):
truth Storm. Yes, all right, this is from CALAROI zerbos
and listeners. Since two thousand eight is a great name,
didn't it. Yeah, guys, you recently aired a podcast on
the existence of a truth serum and mentioned the use
of scopelamine. You also referenced the Vice TV article in
which they claimed drug trapp or kers use it and
(26:02):
shout out device. By the way, Yeah, we're gonna be
doing some bloggings for them soon. Good programming. Um, well, guys,
I just want you to know I lived in Columbia
for twelve years, loved every minute of it, and I've
known several people who have been victims of scopelamine attacks. However,
it is not drug traffickers who use this, but rather
it's just fans of fieves and criminals. Drug traffickers actually
(26:22):
do not need to attack random people to pull income.
It's the petty thieves who do. Um all occurred in
the middle of the day in good neighborhoods of Bogata
by well dressed, middle aged attackers. It's most commonly dusted
onto a piece of paper, which is then handed to
the victim by the culprit under the guise of asking
for directions within ten and fifteen minutes. If you're out
(26:43):
wide awake, compliant and unaware, but unable to remember what
happened afterwards, you were also quite ill, and more often
than not you end up in the hospital with your
stomach plot. Usually your bank account and valuables are emptied
in your apartment. In one case, a friend of mine
had his Empire apartment emptied of everything. Oh my god,
and he was just sitting there the whole time. Basically,
(27:04):
I guess so, man. Anyway, it's pretty frightening and at
times lethal. Most Columbians therefore will not accept anything handed
them on the street and in clubs, well, no one
ever puts their drink down, if you know what I mean.
Thanks again with the excellent show. And that is again
Calorie Servos, And that is frightening. Yeah. I bet when
Columbians go to Vegas they're just like overwhelmed, you know,
(27:26):
like on every sta corner, guys are handing trying to
hand Oh yeah, yeah, I'll bet they freak out. Yeah, seriously, Uh,
tell me the name again, Calorie Zervos. Thank you very much,
Calorie Zervos. Calaroi and Calaroi Zervos k l e r
o I. That's not calorie like counting Candar Caloroi Zervos.
(27:46):
That has a great name. Uh. If you want to
let us know your name, you can tweet to us
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