Where are the cicadas?
Last summer, the familiar hum of the Dog Day Cicadas typically began filling the evenings around mid-July. Interestingly, despite their nickname "locusts," these vocal insects are not locusts at all; they are Annual Dog Day Cicadas.
Cicadas are globally recognized for their distinctive sounds and large size. In the United States, they are often mistakenly referred to as "locusts," but they share no relation to true locusts, which are actually a type of grasshopper.
Did you know that cicadas are not only edible but also related to shrimp? If you ever decide to try this cicada delicacy, it's worth noting that if you're allergic to shrimp, you may also be allergic to cicadas!
The "Dog Day" moniker is thought to be derived from Sirius, a bright star also known as the dog star. Sirius becomes visible in the morning sky around the same time of year that the annual cicadas begin their chorus of mating calls.