“In places where there are older, well-established trees, you could get up to 85 decibels,” Kritsky said. “To put that in perspective, when a jet is flying overhead that is usually between 60 and 70 decibels.”   Gene Kritsky, editor-in-chief of American Entomologist

AND picked them up and carried them around to show other children on the playground.

Now they cover the ground instead of trees.  They are dying off and the next generation will be burrowing down in the ground to find sap to eat.  I can hear a plane flying over as I type this.  It’s sweet music.

It really has been an educational opportunity.  We sat as a family and watched a couple youtube videos on the life cycle of the cicada.  Here’s our favorite (you’ll have to click through to watch it, but it is worth your time!):

A friend of mine from college, living in Georgia, wrote this funny little piece on the phenomenon.  It’s a pleasant little read as well.