I don't know if it is the same in Houston or other parts of Texas, but here in southern middle Tennessee, the cicadas (or as us southerners like to say "locusts") are out in full force. Never in my life have I heard such constant buzzing. My driveway is littered with these things; I know people in my neighborhood who have shells of their skins everywhere in their yards. It's like a sign of the coming of the apocalypse! Seriously, though, anybody else having cicada problems?
I think your problem is that you dont live in a subdivision in a giant city. The worst pest we get are minorities but the city takes care of them swiftly with one phone call.
This year one of the big hives is supposed to come out in force. There are 3 total that hatch every 13 years, 17 years, and 7 years... (I'm totally guessing on those numbers).
Yea, I thought it was 17 years but apparently in TN it is 13 years and this brood that I have been hearing constantly in the last week or so last was here in '98. Didn't know if they also are in TX like they are in TN.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magicicada Pretty interesting stuff. So I imagine you are experiencing "The Great Southern Brood" OP?
Where I live in N Fort Worth, there are Cicada Killer Wasps. Freaking huge, with 1/4 inch stingers. Check it out (note- not my hand):
Those wasps reminded me of this. <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JDSf3Kshq1M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
You aren't the only one to notice the cicada takeover. Clay Travis, who writes for Fanhouse and hosts a daily sports radio show in Nashville just tweeted that he went out to mow his lawn and was lucky to survive with the swarm of cicadas in his yard.
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wRW4Ckaxmjc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Outdo this man.
I've seen these guys in action killing cicadas in my back yard. Amazing thing to watch but they look like they could kill a small child with one sting.
