Billions of Brood X cicadas — and their buzzing sound — will soon emerge across Indiana

[White Squirrel]

About a week before the cicadas started coming out, we were inundated with a flock of wild turkeys and a large red-headed woodpecker (he frequents the woods behind our place). They were aerating the ground around all the trees (large stand of white pines on both north and south sides of the house) as they were pecking holes in the ground. I am sure they were digging the larvae out. Since the cicadas started hatching and actually emerging, the turkeys and woodpecker have disappeared.

 

[eldirector]

We haven't heard or seen a single one in our yard. Wife and kiddo were at McCloud last Friday, and per the naturalist, they had seen a grand total of 3. Guessing they just haven't emerged yet?

My kiddo has her net and bug cage ready. Not sure she really understands what is about to happen.

 

[gregkl]

About a week before the cicadas started coming out, we were inundated with a flock of wild turkeys and a large red-headed woodpecker (he frequents the woods behind our place). They were aerating the ground around all the trees (large stand of white pines on both north and south sides of the house) as they were pecking holes in the ground. I am sure they were digging the larvae out. Since the cicadas started hatching and actually emerging, the turkeys and woodpecker have disappeared.

The Cicadas do aerate the yard. I was actually thinking of doing that this year. Now I don't have to!

 

[bwframe]

I don't think ground temps are consistent everywhere. I still have them coming up in different spots, after 4-5 days. The birds are still going crazy eating them.

The neighbors just started seeing them today. I could hear their singing for the last couple days, but it sounds distant. Betting it will get louder...

There are a lot more of them flying today. One landed on my arm, when I had hands full of stuff.

 

[Trevelayan]

We watched several hundred come out from 10-midnight last night on the in-laws pasture and woods. Weirdly they're not screaming yet but they are certainly present.

 

[dnurk]

They were hatching big time at a friends place on Lake Santee (near Greensburg) this past weekend.

I haven’t seen a single one up here near Zionsville

 

[johntheplinker]

They are definitely here of should I say hear! It was getting a little loud this afternoon and I expect it will be getting worse. Birds are having a field day on them, saw a couple fly off with one in their beak.

 

[gregkl]

They are definitely here of should I say hear! It was getting a little loud this afternoon and I expect it will be getting worse. Birds are having a field day on them, saw a couple fly off with one in their beak.

Birds eat so much that they get too stuffed to continue. And the bird populations usually grow after this event for the next few years. Same with trees. They have a growth spurt that usually lasts about 3 years. Predators do better too.

Some of the studies surmise that one reason so many come out so infrequently (17 years) is so that they can overcome their predators, get them so full that others go on to propagate the next brood. It keeps them from being decimated if they came out more frequently with lesser amounts.

I don't know what of the science I read on them is accurate and several sources state that since they only come out every 17 years, it is hard to compile a lot of data.

 

[Hoosier Cowboy]

Just starting to see a few around our place.

 

[spencer rifle]

Also just starting up here in Allen County.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Not a one yet.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Nothing here yet either. Which seems weird since I've seen people to the north of me and to the south of me reporting them.

 

[cb46184]

I had one in my boat yesterday at Sweetwater lake. Maybe my memory is not so good but this one was much more colorful than I remember seeing before.

 

[04FXSTS]

Saw my first one yesterday in the back yard, northern Vermillion County, haven't noticed them making noise. It was actually pretty with bright orange highlights.

 

[Leadeye]

Bugs are quiet this morning.

 

[DadSmith]

Wow! I've only seen one in my yard North side of Indy. I've seen some ground holes.

This is nowhere near as bad as the last cicada hatch ~8 years ago. I'm not sure what that last wave was called but my dogs wouldn't stop eating them.

Yep my old walker coon hound filled his belly to almost bursting on them 17 years ago. This time I haven't seen many. My one dog he ate a few that he found but we haven't had more than around 20 or so thus far this year.

I bet just about everything in the wild eats them. Makes you wonder how many do get ate when they appear.

 

[yetti462]

This is just one section of a 34" pin oak. I remember this tree 34 years ago being loaded.

 

[ghitch75]

very loud in Greene county....they are every where.

been taking a few out with 22 shotgun...

 

[JCSR]

We just left Lincoln State Park and their sound is near deafening. Started getting louder as the sun set.

 

[spencer rifle]

Up here in Allen County I just got a report that our local hotspots (Camp McMillen and Izaak Walton League) are having a mass emergence right now and we should be hearing them in a few days.