Cicadas are here!

[Mtnboomer]

2020 is the 17th year in the cicada cycle for our region. The ground has finally erupted with the bugs and it is very entertaining to watch our flock stuffing themselves.

FYI - these bugs are so plentiful and so nutritious for not only the animals but their bodies feed the plants and trees. So much so that when you cut down a tree, you can see the wide growth ring every 17 yrs where the tree had a tremendous growth season fertilized by the bodies of the cicada.

I have been around for 3 of these 17th year emergence but I have never witnessed one that lives up to the hype.

 

[Mtnboomer]

My dog likes them too!

 

[centrarchid]

Their abundance localized during emergence here. Where I currently live there is good overlap between trees with cicadas and where chickens free-range. What is needed is means of attracting cicadas to barn at night.

 

[Mtnboomer]

My gals have learned which trees in the yard have the most bugs. I have watched them hammer the ones under the birch trees until either they are full or the numbers go down. Then they have checked each tree in the yard and returned to the birch trees about every 1.5-2hrs to eat more.
We are finding them everywhere in the woods too so there should be a constant supply over the coming months.

Saves on the feed bill!

 

[centrarchid]

My juvenile chickens would get up about 15 feet into oak trees with lots of horizontal branches to get the cicadas. The cicadas were not good at avoiding the chickens. I had about 50 juveniles running around, yet they had more cicadas than they could handle. The chickens learned to cherry pick for those that just emerged. I did not have any predator issues while the cicadas where abundant.

 

[Mtnboomer]

My juvenile chickens would get up about 15 feet into oak trees with lots of horizontal branches to get the cicadas. The cicadas were not good at avoiding the chickens. I had about 50 juveniles running around, yet they had more cicadas than they could handle. The chickens learned to cherry pick for those that just emerged. I did not have any predator issues while the cicadas where abundant.

Everything eats them. Even deer will eat the easy fat and protein packed bugs.

 

[SueT]

My favorite website for all things cicada is https://www.cicadamania.com
There are annual cicadas, various periodical species, in all 190 different cicadas in North America. You can compare their songs here https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/cicada-songs-audio-sounds-noise/
And figure out which ones you have.
I love cicadas!

 

[centrarchid]

My favorite website for all things cicada is https://www.cicadamania.com
There are annual cicadas, various periodical species, in all 190 different cicadas in North America. You can compare their songs here https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/cicada-songs-audio-sounds-noise/
And figure out which ones you have.
I love cicadas!

I think he is where a emergence of Periodic Cicadas is underway. Dog Day or Annual Cicadas a month or two off.