Can’t get enough of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s viral human cicada video? You’re in luck! They’ve now released a sequel; “The 17-Year Cicadas Have Emerged. Now What?”
This time around the humans dressed as cicadas are helping teach a lesson about what to expect from the bugs now that they’ve arrived.
Noisy visitors with predators aplenty
Tom Velat, ecology supervisor of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, narrates, sharing that as the cicadas show up, they’ll be doing so noisily. They all come out at the same time, he said, and though predators are aplenty, they’ll eventually get full, leaving some cicadas to go breed and carry on their life cycle.
A big-beaked bird helps make the point in the video, with two human cicadas falling prey to its appetite.
Meanwhile, one flirtatious human cicada left standing in the video practices his best pick-up line in an effort to breed, saying, “Hey girl. I used to waste all my time chasing butterflies. But nowadays since I’ve met you, they’re all in my stomach.”
Cicadas aren’t the best at flying
Velat also points out the cicadas’ lack of flying skills…as does the human cicada in the video.
“They’re not particularly good at flying. Sometimes people will experience a cicada, it’s not flying in a straight line, and it’s, it’s curving a little bit, and people just need to be aware of the fact that they’re gonna sometimes get hit by the cicadas,” says Velat, a point illustrated by an unfortunate trail walker about to be pelted by an incoming human cicada in the video.
Cicadas: bark lovers who don’t bite
Velat says not to be alarmed if a cicada does land on you, as they can’t bite.
“It’s no more annoying than someone tapping on your shoulder and saying ‘hey are you annoyed, hey are you annoyed?’” Velat says, under an apt depiction by a human cicada in the video.
A light brush off of the bug is the way to go, says Velat.
Something that does need protection from cicadas is young, recently planted trees. Cicadas like them for their juices. Velat recommends wrapping those types of trees in fine mesh.
Keep dogs leashed to avoid cicada smorgasbord
And as a tip for pet owners, Velat says to keep them leashed, to keep them from taking in a cicada smorgasbord as they are out and about. However, the dog in the video is more interested in licking the human cicada on the path, rather than eating him.
This current crop of cicadas will stick around for about four to six weeks, says Velat.
Initial video went viral, gaining attention from Stephen Colbert
One notable absence in the video is Stephen Colbert.
The popular host of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” had highlighted the forest preserve district’s first viral human cicada video, titled “The Life Cycle of a 17-Year Cicada,” on his show on Wednesday, May 8.
Colbert joked that when he had lived in the Chicago area, he “would have killed for the part of cicada in larval stage,” but that the part would likely have been won by his longtime friend Steve Carrell, who had that certain “je ne cicada.”
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County responded with an online video sending an invite to Colbert to take part in the district’s next cicada video, showing a graphic with the title “Informational Cicada Video Number II After Emergence” over a cicada in the foreground with burning, exploding buildings in the background.
In the video, Forest Preserve District President Daniel Hebreard tells Colbert it’s a limited time offer, and says if he’s too busy, the district might “bring in Steve Carrell.”
Alas, as Colbert doesn’t appear this time around, it appears he didn’t take Hebreard up on his offer…but one can always hold out hope for the threequel.
Photo courtesy: Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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