# I Heard a Cicada Last Night! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2004, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261 "2004-07-28T11:55:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/1 "2004-07-28T11:55:02Z")
I live outside Boston, and i have been puzzled by the absence of the supposed Cicada Invasion (predicted for this summer). Last night I was working in the yard, and I heard a lone cicada! It was impossible to determine how far awy he was, but I hope there will soon be more! Anybody else in the NE seen or heard cicadas? It seems to be rather late in the season for them, but they are welcome! ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/2 "2004-07-28T15:57:26Z")
If you are looking for the 17 year variety… they are gone for now. What you heard was probably an annual, or “dog day”, cicada. They are emerging now and should hang around through August. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/3 "2004-07-28T17:18:36Z")
I’ve never heard a cicada. I really want to since I’ve read about them in setting descriptions in many books. Do they sound like crickets? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/4 "2004-07-28T17:55:14Z")
They sound like rotary saws…amazing how such a small insect can make such a huge racket! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/5 "2004-07-28T18:07:56Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > They sound like rotary saws… That doesn’t capture the variable pitch. I’d say a cicada sounds like someone using a rotary saw as a siren. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/6 "2004-07-28T19:10:22Z")
Get yourself one of those [novelty rachet noisemakers](http://www.supercoolstuff.com/items/misc/mus150.htm) and vary the speed of spin from mild to wild. rrrrrrRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRrrr ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/7 "2004-07-29T03:04:27Z")
The invasion of 17-year cicadas this year were from Brood X. Massachusetts has Brood XIV, due in 2008. [http://members.fortunecity.com/cicadaman1999/id47.htm](http://members.fortunecity.com/cicadaman1999/id47.htm) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/8 "2004-07-30T00:32:50Z")
heard one!!! last night one tried to join me in the library. i heard the click-whir, i turned around and there was this huge cicada between the sashes of the window, making moves to try and climb into the room. i yelped, ran out of the library, and turned off the lights. searched for something to block its entry way. i couldn’t find anything and i didn’t want to get close enough to use duct tape. i used about 3 quarters of a bottle of air fresher to discourage the insect. he just stuck to the non wet window. i gave up and bunkered in my bedroom hoping the insect would decide to go elsewhere. it was gone in the morning. i’m hoping that it isn’t hiding out in the library somewhere, reading lord of the flys or something. i’m still very skittish here in philly. i had hoped that the cold winter may have done some of them in. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/9 "2004-07-30T13:20:11Z")
Repeat after me… “Cicadas are harmless, cicadas are harmless, cicadas are harmless.” Unless you’re a plant. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/10 "2004-07-30T13:32:28Z")
Cicadas are big (sometimes) and ugly and noisy, but you don’t have to run around in a panic - they aren’t gonna eat anybody! ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/11 "2004-07-30T16:58:41Z")
Dissapointingly - as such a big hubbub was made over them this year - I have neither seen nor heard a single one. My wife has seen plenty, but she spends time out in the woods. They used to be more abundant around here, so I’ev been confused by their scarceness. Good to know it isn’t just me, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/12 "2004-08-01T00:37:50Z")
it was menacing! it try to call others to it. it wanted to do horrible mating stuff in my library. i have not seen or heard it since wends. i’m hoping the air freshner stuff has made it flee the neighbourhood. ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-heard-a-cicada-last-night/257261/13 "2004-08-01T19:28:52Z")
You’re also hoping that the chemicals in that air freshener didn’t cause a size mutation in that cicada. You’re also hoping it doesn’t mate. You’re also hoping it doesn’t remember where you live.