Backyard and Beyond

Saturday, in Doodletown, we found a few Magicicadas.And heard, in the distance, always the distance, the science-fiction-like thrum of them in the trees.On Sunday, we returned to Clove Lakes Park in Staten Island.Up on the hill and along Royal Oak Road, we found thousands and thousands and thousands of the husks.This is the bus shelter at Little Clove Rd and Victory Blvd, and yes, those are cicadas.Again the thum was in the distance, but we could never get underneath it.At the base of this tree, which itself was studded with the husks, the caramel colored husks are piled, along with abortive adults, and pieces of the adults. The sights were awe-inspiring, humbling, and just a wee bit creepy. The latter, especially, when they fell on you.Looks like many of the adults failed to successfully emerge from their nymphal armor.Alive and kicking; you can see the tube-like mouth part here, which it uses like a straw to feed.