The internet and the Midwest are all a tizzy over the pending emergence of this year’s 13-year cicada brood (brood XIX if you’re interested). These periodical cicadas go more than a decade living underground feeding on the sap of tree roots, only to emerge en mass to partake in a massive jam session/rave/orgy. Different years feature different broods emerging in different areas and composed of at least 1 of the 4 different 13-year cicada species (leading to some interesting questions regarding what’s a brood and what’s a species when there is hypothetically little gene transfer between broods). On top of the 13-year cicadas, there are 3 species of 17-year cicada, of which brood I is expected to emerge next year.

These insects with prime emergences serve as the undivisible subjects of a song which some might consider a little odd.

This song was actually the inspiration for the Tuesday Tunes feature and was the first song I added to my playlist. Someday I hope to witness and photograph a magicicada emergence first hand, but for now I’ll have to count on those near the epicentres to share this emergence!

This song is available on iTunes – The 17-Year Cicada – Of Natural History