What's loud, has bulging red eyes and is planning to spend summer in Michigan?

[marmar]

(Detroit Free Press) It’s an underground movement now, but it will be all the buzz this spring and summer.

This year will mark the re-emergence after 17 years of Brood X, or the Great Eastern Brood, of periodical cicadas — those large, winged, kind of scary-looking but mostly harmless flying insects known for their almost deafening buzz.

“The end of May through June, it can get pretty loud — if you are in an area where they are numerous, there can be hundreds of thousands, or millions, of them,” said Howard Russell, an entomologist (insect scientist) at Michigan State University.

Unlike greenish, annual cicadas, periodical cicadas are known for their black bodies and bold, red eyes. Their mass, in-unison emergence every 17 years is one of nature’s great mysteries. ...............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/01/25/17-year-cicadas-coming-to-michigan/6657857002/

[CaptYossarian]

1. Given the description in the headline,

will they be applying for concealed carry permits?

[marmar]

2. LOL. Cicadas are smarter.

[CaptYossarian]

3. Of course.

They could invade the Capitol and not one of them would think of carrying the Confederate flag inside.

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. Great.

Last time they were here, I saw a friend get chased by locusts across 8 sand volleyball courts. She fell down 50 times. All the people playing on those courts were watching, and cheering for her.

I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed so hard.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. I can remember the last time they were out and about. The trees, bushes, everything (Ozarks) was

covered w/ millions and millions of these critters. And the noise? Wow. Just wow. I wish I had a camera at that time to record it, but it was definitely a relief to get back into the car and leave (I was checking on an old family homestead to ensure all was well). I never ever saw so many of these things in one place...