News Release
May 27, 2008
Clermont Cicada Celebration: Fun and Food?
Batavia, Ohio. The cicadas are coming! The red-eyed Brood XIV will emerge across Clermont County in the next few weeks and will be our guests through the end of June. As a special welcome, the Clermont County Park District is planning a Cicada Celebration on Saturday, June 14, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Chilo Lock #34 Park; you'll be able to learn more about cicadas and see why they are a popular menu item in other countries!
"Cicadas are not a threat to people; they don't bite and they don't carry diseases," said Clermont Parks Chief Naturalist Keith Robinson. "Adult cicadas can harm young trees when the female lays her eggs in slits of new trees; if enough of the tree is used for nests, it will not survive. You can protect your young trees by wrapping them in cheesecloth."
The loud buzzing sound cicadas make is the male singing to attract a mate. The song is made by a membrane located behind the wing called a tymbal. The male cicada has a hollow abdomen which may act to produce an even louder sound. Males will sing until their deaths.
"The periodical cicadas appear in mass as a survival technique," said Robinson. "The large numbers allow predators to eat their fill of cicadas and still leave enough to mate and produce the next generation."
According to Clermont Parks' naturalist Laura Seals, many people also like to eat cicadas. "They are high in protein," she said. "To eat them, they should first be blanched by dipping them in boiling water for a few minutes. Then they can be deep fried, added to other foods, or even dipped in chocolate."
For more information about the Cicada Celebration, contact the Clermont County Park District at (513) 876-9013.