Brood X: The Cicada Podcast

We received so many questions during the run of our Brood X podcast, that we had to invite Dr. Kritsky back for a live Q&A session with Cory Sharber.

As our podcast series concludes and our cicada friends begin their new 17-year cycle, Dr. Gene Kritsky from Mount St. Joseph University talks about the success of the Brood X crowd sourcing effort and the Cicada Safari app.

What are our visitors doing when you don't hear their distinctive mating buzz? If you've noticed they get quiet at night or when it rains, do you know what they're up to?

In this episode, Dr. Gene Kiritsky and Cory Sharber discuss how did our unseasonable April and May weather impact the Brood X emergence.

Brood X , as you might be hearing, has emerged and they are looking to do the one thing they've been waiting 17 years to do – mate! The loud buzzing is the cicadas' way of saying "what's your sign" in a crowded bar, but it's not all fun and games this year.

Human beings have been fascinated with cicadas for generations. These visitors have spurred stories, symbols and artifacts because of their rare appearances, one-of-a-kind look, and their song of love.

We've always been told about the importance of maintaining our ecosystems, but how do 17-year cicadas fit into that delicate balance?

Our expert, Dr. Gene Kritsky, has devoted a great deal of his professional life to the study of cicadas. But who studied them before him? How did early scientists study these periodical emergences? And is crowd sourcing a new concept in cicada studies?

If you look closely, cicadas do look prehistoric, so how long have they been around and how have they survived so long on our ever-changing planet?

Before Brood X makes its appearance, Dr. Gene Kritsky shares some of the history of cicada brood emergences in what we now know as the eastern United States. What did indigenous peoples and colonizers think of the bugs? And you'll even hear a bit about how they taste.