On Saturday, May 26th, 2007, brood 13 of the seventeen year cicadas emerged from the ground. Thus began a month of enduring the little critters during their brief pursuit of "bug-love." Entomologists predicted that in some areas the insect density would reach 1.5 million per acre. I don't think we quite reached that level, but we had to have been close. As of now, there isn't a skinny rodent or wild animal in the neighborhood. The squirrels, chip monks and birds have been gorging themselves for four weeks now and, I imagine, they are sick of this abundant protein source by now.

The emerging bugs up close

 At 90 decibels, the song of the cicadas has to be endured to be believed and on hot days, the frenetic flight from tree to tree forced my wife and daughter stay inside until the emergence was over.