drewguy

For many of us in this area, we'll soon be facing the influx of cicadas for the first time in 17 years.

I wasn't really biking in 2004, so I'm wondering if others have recollections about trying to bike through the swarms. Manageable? Wear a mask? Do they get stuck in your helmet? The thing I remember from last time around was the constant sound . . .

burnthesheep

No idea. Same here. I remember as a kid tying string to ones leg to watch it fly in circles.

I imagine at 20+ mph one of those would not feel good hitting your face or body.

Marylander

I don't even remember the 2004 cicadas. I was working in silver spring then and living in frederick county and, outside of the news, didn't know there was an event occuring. In rockville there were a lot more in one of the broods in the 90s (although I don't remember the year, seems like it would've been late 90s as I brought one home to show my little kids since we didn't have any in college park). I didn't have any issues cycling around rockville back then and there were lots of cicadas (you had people using umbrellas to go in to the building from the parking lot ). I'm betting the amount of construction in rockville since then has eliminated a lot from that brood.

scottfsmith

We had tons of them in 2004. I don't recall any significant issues biking, you might bump into a couple.

They come out of the ground and at emergence you see a ton and think it is going to be so thick you won't be able to breathe, but then they head for the tall trees and you don't see all that many. But you sure hear them. And then they mate and die and they wobble/fall down and leave dead bodies everywhere.

jpescatore

I was biking and hiking a lot in 2004. Lots of noise but as mentioned they are usually up high and I don't remember any smacking into me while biking. Hiking the Appalachian Trail and other areas the noise was really annoying at first, then you filtered it out - but one day the noise just went away but the crunchy shells on the ground remaining for a while!

kaos joe

not an issue.

one piece of advice, when the shed exoskeletons are thick on the ground, DO NOT line up a hundred of them on the hood of your wife's car. it does not go well.

drewguy

I remember that - it was weird. It didn't get dimmer and dimmer as one might expect, IIRC, just one morning it had stopped. I remember commenting to my wife - "do you hear that? Nothing!"

indyfabz

There are cicadas every year. This is Brood X. They are typically found in areas with trees. If you find yourself in an infested area, expect to run over lots of dead ones in the road that have been hit by cars. Nothing to really worry about.

I remember riding in Lancaster County, PA back in 2004. Thought I heard an ambulance. Turned out to be an area infested with cicadas.

BTW...You can find recipes for them on the Internets. Free protein!

balto charlie

For those that like something a little different, recipes for Cicadas.

https://cicadacrewumd.weebly.com/upl...dentm_2004.pdf

StarBiker

They always talk about these like they will be all over you. The only time I remember them being out in numbers was in 1985. That long ago.......I bike all the time, and don't remember any issues since that year.

I am in Baltimore County North.

meb

My recollection was hitting once in a while them back in 2004, but not often enough nor hard enough be a concern.

StarBiker

See some today. But the sound is like a loud echo. Only near more treed, or wooded areas. Went out on my morning search and could not hear any of them just a quarter mile from where I could hear many.......

jpescatore

Saturday I did a 52 mile ride around Sugarloaf and there were spots where they were much louder, spots where you heard nothing.

Sunday am, my wife and I did a hike in the Daniels Dam area on the Patpasco north of Ellicott City and they were much louder up there - loads of little holes in the path where they came out.

That was our 4th try to do that hike - apparently last year the crowds got to be too much and the county put up No Parking/Towing Enforced signs on all of Daniel Roads so there are only 8 or 9 parking spots. Sunday am there was even an electronic sign warning "TOWING ENFORCED". Luckily we got there early enough to get the second to last spot. When we left cars were already lined up waiting for spots to open.

Davswar

We see them out every year. Last year there were quite a few shells hooked to the sides of our trees.

jpescatore

I did a 38 mile loop from Davidsonville to Galesvile MD on Monday. Either the concentration of cicadas is higher near Galesville or the cold rainy spell over the weekend where they were quiet had them really strumming - the drone was the loudest yet, would cover the sound of cars until they were pretty close to me. We should be nearing the crescendo...

drewguy

Definitely pockets that are louder . . . out for a ride yesterday and got hit by one smack on the glasses. Good thing I was wearing those - pretty good shot to the face otherwise. Just a bit of bug goo that dried off eventually.

scottfsmith

Ouch! No hits here yet.

It is interesting to hear how they are clustered in pockets while riding.. sometimes quiet sometimes cacophonous. Unfortunately I live in a cacophonous neighborhood, I put in ear plugs yesterday for yard work.

drewguy

I've also had a few stick to my cycling clothes - they seem to have some kind of good grip. It takes a strong brush or flick to get them off. But they land softly - don't really notice until I look down or to the side, and there's one glued to my shoulder or thigh!

jpescatore

Did a 24 mile local loop in the Highland/Clarksville MD area and the low pitched drone cicadas were at very high volume but added was the "high pitched drone" ones. Not sure if those are just the locusts/cicadas we hear every summer when it warms up or just 17-year brood ones that are directly overhead - I believe it is the former.

Either way, even louder than before!

balto charlie

My backyard is crazy loud with them. Difficult to hold a conversation without shouting. I like 'em though. My area has old homes and undisturbed land for over 100 years.

indyfabz

Haven't heard a peep here in Philly yet. But I have killed several spotted lantern fly nymphs over the last few weeks. I am dreading their return. The area outside my office building was a mecca for them last year. I would leave work and find them on my bike. Walking a block to get lunch I could stomp dozens of them without going much out of my way. The building management sent out a flyer encouraging people to stomp them. All day there are maintenance workers sweeping them up or sucking them up with what is basically a reverse leaf blower. I am only on the 8th floor, so the noise of the machine gets annoying.

scottfsmith

It's bad here today, really hot and they are much more active. I got hit by three of them on my morning ride, first time I ran into any. Not annoying except for the one that hung on for awhile.. I felt him on my neck 15 minutes later and gave him the heave.

StarBiker

They are everywhere, but it's been so damn hot and humid I haven't been on the bike except for a quick ten minute ride.

I hate summer!

And it's not summer yet.

I saw more cyclists on Sunday than when the weather was nice. Folks really gravitate to heat.

The bugs aren't bugging me though.

jpescatore

Aaah, silence! The cicadas have gone underground again.

I did a 38 mile loop yesterday down Rock Creek Park/Beach Drive with a loop around Haines Point and then back up the Capital Crescent Trail and the Bethesda Trolley trail - the noise was gone.

However, in the DC area, the tourists are back - many of them using time share bikes and pretty obviously first time cyclists. Glad to see them out on bikes but they do kind of fly around randomly just like the cicadas. - and leave their abandoned "shells" everywhere...

balto charlie

If you miss them come to my house, they are still active though at lower decibels. Birds are still feasting, I rode the entire Ncr/Heritage trail this week and was occassionaly smack by one in flight.

To tell the truth, I'm gonna miss the little fellas. And at my age might be my last brood