[AT] Too quiet

[Rob Gray]

I read an article recently that some populations of ciccadas in the 
eastern US are doomed. Apparently their survival mechanism is to come 
out in great numbers over a very short time over a wide area. This 
allows them to survive predation. They need the large numbers because, 
as you folks who have seen them know, they are clumsy and almost 
"stupid" in flight (flying into things, etc.). As the land gets 
developed and paved over with homes, asphalt, concrete, etc, more and 
more of their population gets buried beneath pavement during their 17 
year intervals. This allows their predators to wipe out the smaller 
pockets of ciccadas that come out in smaller and smaller "patches" of 
land over the decades. The article said that several "broods" of them 
have already been wiped out in Connecticut.

Below is more info on the bugs for those interested:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3725927.stm

Rob
NE PA

Vaughn Miller wrote:

>Cecil,
>
>The temperature seems to make a big difference in Cicada activity.  Also,
>it appears to me that cicadas must not move very much before laying eggs. 
>The result of this is that there are pockets of dense population (almost
>deafening to hear) and other areas with little population.  Of course,
>habitat (or lack there of) plays into this as well.
>
>Around here, cicadas can be heard every year but not on the same scale as
>when this current brood emerges.
>
>Vaughn Miller
>Dillsburg PA
>
>  
>
>>>>cmonson at hvc.rr.com 6/7/04 7:40:03 AM >>>
>>>>        
>>>>
><snip>
>	I am curious about these locusts and why the activity seems
>so patchy this year. I had the feeling they came out about the same
>time all over. Maybe the rain held them up.
><snip>
>Cecil
>_______________________________________________
>AT mailing list
>http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
>  
>