Sparing A Life

  It seems to be a buggy type of season around here.  Of course, I am probably uncovering a lot of insects that would prefer to stay "unseen" since I am doing a complete makeover of the old Rose Garden.  The fence posts and arbors all had to be pulled out due to termites so there was nothing to do except start again from scratch.  Yesterday saw me pulling out dozens of what I was told was "Seven Sisters Roses".  This is one of the nicest names the bush can have.  I have a nephew who insists that they should be called "Devil Bushes" because "they reach out and grab you with the thorns".  They do, indeed, but I refuse to call them that!  (Ok, so maybe the thought crossed my mind a few times as I was cutting, digging, yanking and otherwise destroying the rose garden.  Taking down things is a lot harder that putting them up when they are covered with thorny bushes!

  As I pulled one of the roses from the ground, a wiggly something or another caught my eye.  Ok...the work was put on hold as I had to examine this wiggler.  This was not an earthworm nor a grub worm.  Time to grab the camera and fish that little thing out of the dirt.  Once the critter was in the palm of my hand, I realized that this was the nymph of a cicada.  Well, it is about time for the critters to start making their appearance and fill the night with their loud calls.  The cicada nymph was not entirely happy with being in my hand so I tried to think of the safest place for it since I would be digging near where I found it.  Since these nymphs suck the juices from plant roots, I decided that the best place for my new-found friend would be in the daylily bed.  (Yes, I know the lilies may not be overly happy with this decision.)  This bed has a lot of dollar grass and other weeds since I have not been diligent about weeding it lately.  Perhaps my critter friend will return the favor of its relocation by eating only the weed roots!  (Please, Cicada??)  

  As I was giving my critter friend a helping hand, I got to thinking of how I am probably one of only a handful of people that actually like these critters.   I hear so many negative remarks about the nymphs diet habits, the molts/sheds left behind and the loud buzzing that it is obvious that the bugs are not a favorite of a lot of folks. So what if a few roots are eaten?  And the molts are pretty interesting things to show kids (or scare them) and does anyone else love to sit outside at night and listen to them?   I am good with all three.  The critters have a right to live, too, and hopefully, this one will do ok being moved.

Let the Symphony Begin!

  The Great Roar is upon us, here on the Bayou.  The almost deafening cacophony begins at dusk and carries on through the night.  For those not familiar with this noise, it can be a bit unnerving but to old-timers, we understand it is an annual occurrence around here.  Instead of complaining, we take it in stride and pull up a rocking chair to enjoy the "music".  I am referring to the annual emergence of the cicadas.  Their loud, buzzing sound tells us that the event is underway and for the next few weeks, it will continue.  The cicadas that live most of their lives underground as nymphs have started digging their way to the surface and morphing into the winged creatures that look frightening, sound deafening and drive a lot of folks nigh to madness each summer.  Me?  I like hearing them.  The critters have been part of my life as long as I can remember so what is not to love?  They do not bite (other than an occasional nip), do not sting and do not transmit disease.  They just come out, sing, fly around hunting for a mate then eventually die.

  A cicada is a funny looking insect that has five eyes (two large and three tiny), short. fat body and iridescent, heavily-veined wings.  The female will lay her eggs in slits in tree branches and after a few weeks the little ones hatch.  They crawl down the tree to the ground where they quickly burrow. Spending the bulk of their lives underground as nymphs, they rely on a change in tree roots to know when to surface.  Once they come out of their underground "city", they morph into winged creatures and the males begin to sing.  The raspy, buzzing songs can bring thousands of adult cicadas together...both male and female.  The males come to sing to the females and the females come to find a suitable mate.  

  Like I said earlier, I am not one that despises these critters.  In fact, I usually throw open the windows to listen to their songs.  These, the crickets and frogs join together in a sublime harmony. There is nothing quite like the peace and quiet of the Bayou...hmmm.....right.  With some ten thousand or so critters all singing, it is hardly quiet but, in all truthfulness, I still find it peaceful!

Night Songs

With the warm weather comes the opening of the windows in the Little Bayou House.  I would much rather have the fresh air wafting through the place than have it closed up tight with the air conditioning running.  I cannot breathe like that!  It is too stuffy! I want to feel the cooling Bay breezes, I want to hear the sounds, smell the smells and bring the Bayou inside.  I think the Bayou has agreed to my whims.

Each evening, my familiar serenade begins just outside the kitchen window.  The song of the tiny American Green Tree Frogs begins with a quiet chirp and rises to a deafening din.  Right outside the kitchen sits the frog pond.  This small pond started as a goldfish pond, transformed once into a toad pond and now finally has become a frog pond.  It all began with one pair of tree frogs and now there literally are thousands.  The frogs crawl about the trees, they hang on the water plants and inhabit the wisteria arbor.  I have never seen so many frogs!  Their mating songs start at dusk and carry on into the wee hours.  At times, the singing stops...dead.  It is then that I know some larger critter is in the area. Some potential predator is on the prowl so all the singing and merrymaking stops as the frogs try to blend in with the leaves.  They do this well.  It was hard for me to spy the little creatures when I was trying to photograph them.  I knew there were thousands near me but could only find a handful.  They are well camouflaged.

My kids are all home for the weekend.  This is the first time they have all been together in some time.  I think they are rather amused at the shrill concert that is being played nightly.  They are not used to hearing the night songs.  Their lives are different than that here on the Bayou.  It has been some time since Mark and Elizabeth have been exposed to the wonders of the Bayou.  American Green Tree Frogs and their night songs are now a source of amusement..one that I hear on a nightly basis.  Sounds of the Bayou..peaceful..serene.........loud.