Ok, this makes no sense to me. I work at an airport in Maryland and we are experiencing cicada-mania. I have noticed, and belive me, it doesn’t take a keen eye to see this, those little buggers congrigate by the hundreds around aircraft tires. Huh? There are trees, grass, water all over the place. Why do they head straight for the stinkin’ tires? It’s not only that, they go for the rubber chocks and the rubber cord on the ground power units.
I also noticed that they are attracted to running engines. When a plane taxis in, they swarm around it. But when it shuts down, they fly away…usually towards the tires. I guess they think that sound is their mating call or something.
I noticed a couple days ago about two dozen on each tire of my car so there does seem to be some attraction.
I’ve always suspected that they are often seen on tires because they can cling to the rubber so easily. But they can’t grab hold of the paint and metal. Why they’re not in similar concentrations on trees and such, I don’t know.
And yes, they like engines because it has similar acousitc properties to their mating calls. Only males make noise, so the cicadas swarming the engine are horny females.
I learned once, very unpleasantly I might add, that cicadas mistake the sound of a weed whacker for their mating call. Nothing like getting swarmed by a good hundred big, horny bugs.
Just guessing here, but would it be possible that they were attracted by the heat from the tires (due to the friction)?
I have nothing helpful to add other than the fact that there are several of the annoying little creatures on my car tires in the mornings. You’re right, there must be something about the rubber that they like.
Cicadas are mostly harmless, of course. However, we need to be vigilant. Amid the swarm of lusty little bugs will be small cadres of Al-Cicada terrorists. :eek: Be alert!