I’ve been walking around for days with an eerie, other-world hum in my head. The gentleman next door said it sounds like someone at a distance set off an alarm and he was wondering why they couldn’t get it turned off. Others have said it sounds like something from outer space. I’m not sure what their frame of reference is. It’s difficult to describe. It’s too high-pitched to be called a droning sound. It’s not so high-pitched that it makes dogs bark in pain. It’s constant from daylight to dark.
After a couple of days of this ubiquitous sound, I asked my daughter if she knew what it was. Her instant response: “The thirteen-year cicada!” (I don’t know how she knows these things, but she does.) I am relieved to have a name for this puzzling phenomenon. My next question, “How much longer?” didn’t get a very satisfactory response. “Maybe another two weeks.” I understand they’re harmless. Once they’ve mated, they’ll go back underground. I read an article in The Christian Science Monitor that said they stay underground for 17 years in the north. Lucky northerners.
Back On My Own 
Hey! Wow! BBC Planet Earth DVD Set has this phenomena on on of its dvd’s. I thought it was so crazy when I watched it and I am sooo impressed you get to witness this crazy life cycle. Imagine living underground, gestating essentially, for 17 years, then having like two weeks of life to give birth to the next generation and die… I always found it both sad and miraculous. You live really far south and I think it is awesome you are a teacher, from your posts I can tell you’d be great!
oo-S.
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Thanks, S. I’m glad you called it miraculous. It really is when I think about it. I watched a lot of Planet Earth but I haven’t seen the cicadas.
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Hi Pat,
It is the “Seasonal Forests” one (Episode # 10). I hope you enjoy it, there is this aammaazziinngg shot where they show the transition from summer to fall from an aerial perspective. It is magical to see the leaves change in mere moments.
Thinkin of you!:D
xo-S.
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I think you’re right, BG. Today I ran the lawn mower, front and back yards. That helped. Tomorrow when I go out I’ll sing since I’m not sure my humming would drown them out.
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AHH see, I think this is a good sign. Means you have learned to quiet the voices in your head enough to hear other sounds. Haha!! Doubt you would have noticed it a couple of years ago. Nice Mom. Niiccee! Now when you go outside, you need to hum a little louder.
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Thanks, friends. Can you believe I wrote about insects? That devil of a hum in my head made me do it.
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Hope the buzzing stops soon. You can then mark off the years to the next time!!! Only joking!!
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Well at least you know you’re not going mad and just hearing things 😉
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LOL! You are so funny – and that is mad. I’ve often said I’d love to hibernate. and when I went to see the film Castaway years ago I came out and said I would love to be washed up castaway for 4 years. People laughed. I wasn’t joking.
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