# Cicadas



## J9L (Sep 19, 2012)

Can I go on a rant for a minute?!?! These cicadas need to take a hike...basking ridge, far hills, warren are littered with them and it makes for an annoying bike ride...I'm either hoping one doesn't fall on my head from a tree or dodging them as they fly at me...ok that is all...haha...


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

J9L said:


> Can I go on a rant for a minute?!?! These cicadas need to take a hike...basking ridge, far hills, warren are littered with them and it makes for an annoying bike ride...I'm either hoping one doesn't fall on my head from a tree or dodging them as they fly at me...ok that is all...haha...


At first, I was wondering what it would be like to get hit by one at speed. Happened enough by now that it is just a nuissance. It stings a bit but that is it. Got one that hit me in my face right above my glasses. A little more of angle and he would have been in. Got a few off the face, plenty off the chest. One off the chest that landed on me and would not get off. Eventually flicked him away. 

Had quite a few dive into my wheels. But I kind of think the CK hubs make a similar sound to the cicada mating call so maybe I am a target.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

Word to the wise, ride with your jersey zipped and your mouth shut!


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## since17 (Aug 8, 2008)

Try riding in Hunterdon, I did a 52 mile circuit yesterday and didn't see/hear a single one.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

since17 said:


> Try riding in Hunterdon, I did a 52 mile circuit yesterday and didn't see/hear a single one.


Hunterdon is Brood X territory. Last emergence was about 10 years ago. It was awesome. Come back in 7 years.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

AlanE said:


> Hunterdon is Brood X territory. Last emergence was about 10 years ago. It was awesome. Come back in 7 years.


Interesting, that must have been the brood I saw living in MD. I remember because I was thinking that my then 2 year old would be in college next time we saw Cicadas. I have been asking her why she is not yet.


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## J9L (Sep 19, 2012)

Hahaha I think I'd crash my bike if a cicada landed on me and just chilled there! They are definitely a nuisance I hope they leave soon. I guess I'll have to map out a route in hunterdon.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

J9L said:


> Hahaha I think I'd crash my bike if a cicada landed on me and just chilled there! They are definitely a nuisance I hope they leave soon. I guess I'll have to map out a route in hunterdon.


I hav re been hit with quite a few but where this one stuck to realllt kind of freaked me out. Anything else said may be inappropriate.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

AlanE said:


> Hunterdon is Brood X territory. Last emergence was about 10 years ago. It was awesome. Come back in 7 years.


Hacklebarney is full of 'em, and I think that's Hunterdon, no?


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

J9L said:


> Can I go on a rant for a minute?!?! These cicadas need to take a hike...basking ridge, far hills, warren are littered with them and it makes for an annoying bike ride...I'm either hoping one doesn't fall on my head from a tree or dodging them as they fly at me...ok that is all...haha...


blah blah blah... just a minor annoyance for a little time....

then they go back and disappear, out of sight, out of mind, for another 17 years.


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## J9L (Sep 19, 2012)

tednugent said:


> blah blah blah... just a minor annoyance for a little time....
> 
> then they go back and disappear, out of sight, out of mind, for another 17 years.


Next time you swallow one let me know how it tastes


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## Vixsav (Sep 24, 2011)

They must not be too bad. My cats will go out of their way to eat one but turn their noses to other insects.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

robdamanii said:


> Hacklebarney is full of 'em, and I think that's Hunterdon, no?


No, it's Morris. (what a Noob !)

I'm not saying that Hunterdon is cicada free. I saw some in the northern part of the county yesterday, up around Woodglen and coming down Rocky Run. But they were less annoying than the wasp that attacked me on the descent.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

Haven't seen a single one on Somerset or Mercer...


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

AlanE said:


> No, it's Morris. (what a Noob !)
> 
> I'm not saying that Hunterdon is cicada free. I saw some in the northern part of the county yesterday, up around Woodglen and coming down Rocky Run. But they were less annoying than the wasp that attacked me on the descent.


Meh, it all runs together up there.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

jsedlak said:


> Word to the wise, ride with your jersey zipped and your mouth shut!


It is called protein.


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## J9L (Sep 19, 2012)

robdamanii said:


> Meh, it all runs together up there.


Hey Alane... any recommendations for a 20-25 mile ride out towards hunterdon? Where to park etc? Im too girly for these cicadas haha


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

J9L said:


> Hey Alane... any recommendations for a 20-25 mile ride out towards hunterdon? Where to park etc? Im too girly for these cicadas haha


I sent you a private message with some suggestions.


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## clarknova9 (Sep 30, 2011)

I was riding down 9w last Sunday and pulled off road to take a wizz behind a tree. Mid-wizz had the horror show as hundreds of cicadas both alive and dead came raining down on me. 

Although it must have looked comical to anyone passing by.


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## J9L (Sep 19, 2012)

clarknova9 said:


> I was riding down 9w last Sunday and pulled off road to take a wizz behind a tree. Mid-wizz had the horror show as hundreds of cicadas both alive and dead came raining down on me.
> 
> Although it must have looked comical to anyone passing by.


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## Madone 2012 (Apr 14, 2012)

I guess I've been lucky. In Staten Island, I only got hit by one this season. As mentioned earlier, keep your mouth closed while riding!!


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## unnamedny (Aug 1, 2010)

Get a welding helmet or follow the examples of flu sick Asian guys =)

One landed on me on Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn, I had to knock it off my shoulder in fact. I think it would be bigger luck being hit by a falling brick off the skies. I wonder where did it come from?


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

I had to flick one off my shoulder at the South Mountain reservation on Sat. We collided while I was descending on one of the rollers.


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## RideAddict (Jun 9, 2011)

A couple of weeks ago something big collided with my face at around 19-20 mph out on 579 in Harbourton. Not sure what it was but it splattered blood on my face and a few spots on my jersey. Yuk!


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

RideAddict said:


> A couple of weeks ago something big collided with my face at around 19-20 mph out on 579 in Harbourton. Not sure what it was but it splattered blood on my face and a few spots on my jersey. Yuk!


That sounds like a Cicada. I do not miss them. Although they were not as bad as I had remembered from my last encounter with them in Maryland.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

There was a story about them a few weeks ago. I guess *this* is the year, on the east coast, for a mass emergence, the likes of which is rarely seen. The story said they emerge at a certain soil temperature (within 1 degree!) and after 17 years underground. How the heck do they know the right year?  Their mass emerging is meant to overwhelm any predators. Incredible.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

Mike T. said:


> How the heck do they know the right year?.


Maybe they use this map as a guide ;-)

For some reason, every map like this that I've seen online gets cut off at the Delaware, but you can imagine how the zones extend into NJ.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

AlanE said:


> Maybe they use this map as a guide


Oh wow. Yeah maybe they have the map and liddle GPSs.


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