Mr Sub, thanks for the sites..they were informative.. In my case, it's not the foliage I'm concerned about. I fear they're going to bother plants such as citrus, gardenias, hibiscus, 'grafted trees'..I'm worried they're going to peel away trunk bark on 3-5' plants...which are still concidered young trees. We have a huge maple in the yard which blocks sun like you can't believe; they're welcome to the entire tree..they'd be doing me a favor..LOL Thanks for the sites again..If you read posts on Midwest forum, since I live in the midwest, I left feedback on that site..don't know if you noticed or not. I haven't found info on the length of time cicadas will be around either, and can't recall how long they hung around 17 yrs ago. I remember walking my dog one night..It was rather dark, and while walking, I stepped on thousands of crunchy-sounding 'things'..the following day I returned to the area and discovered 1000's of cicada shells. It was gross, sounded like crunchy leaves during autumn..My stomach flip-flopped. So far of what I learned, they live above ground 2-5 days, depending on the sources I've heard/read. Thanks again, especially clarifying the locust info..I'm going to reread the sites you sent, and see if I can make sense or learn something new on their behavior patterns. Dave, I'm in Brookfield, IL, 15-20 miles sw of Chicago. As far as I know, Chicago isn't seeing/hearing many cicadas yet, but as a native of Chicago, growing up there, I've never heard of cicadas before..Only 7 year locust. Cicadas are loud, an understatement, but to be honest, their chirping doesn't bother me..they sure start singing early in the AM though..sounds like the jungles..lol Since you and JustAGuy live up north, perhaps that's the reason they've not dug up from the ground yet..do you see holes in the dirt? If so, that's where they live. Poor bugs reside underground for so many yrs, only to come out, see sunlight, breed and die..what a life! I have seen some on the few plants I've set out for summer...I wonder if they're eating foliage..they just sit there, on leaves..don't notice holes in leaves, so far..then again, they might only enjoy certain plants. I wonder if there's a spray that keeps them away from plants..do u know of any, especially organic type spray..I don't use chemicals. Surely don't want to kill cicadas, just keep them away from tropicals. Thanks guys, Toni

Thank you for the picture of a peaceful summer day. Your working hours certainly don't give much of a chance to enjoy it. Two hours on the road each way doesn't sound so nice.

Just like with plants, animals also can only really be properly specified with the correct scientific name. Common names really don't mean much unless both parties happen to be in agreement about what they want to call whatever they are talking about. That said, here are some common names for some of the creatures mentioned so far: Cicadidae (the most commonly encountered Cicada family with over 2,500 species) = Cicada (a common version of the proper name, at least in the case of the Cicadidae family), Locusts (although not related to many of the insects more commonly referred to locusts), Jar Fly Popillia japonica = Japanese Beetle, Jitterbug Phyllophaga (a genus with over 800 species according to some sources) = June Bug, June Beetle, May Beetle, Scarab Beetle Cotinis nitida = Green June Beetle, June Bug (Wikipedia says this name applied to this species is a misnomer for whatever the heck that's worth.)

1.) My perfect summer day would be spent in my (new to me) backyard, relaxing on my back porch. What a lovely realization it is, to know that my own backyard is now my favorite place to be! 2.) I would spend the day reading, and just "being". 3.) I would hear nothing but the neighborhood birds. 4.) I would see the plants I've put in, and the ones that came with the house--always a fun surprise, as what I thought were crocosmia turn out to be glads, etc. 5.) I'd be wearing shorts and a t-shirt, because--let's be realistic--I'm at home, and can dress sloppy if I want! 6.) Ice cold mint water, made with my own mint, would be my drink of choice. If you haven't tried it, make it today! Just put 5-10 sprigs of mint in a pitcher, add water, and mash with the handle of a wooden spoon. Let it sit for at least twenty minutes, then pour over ice. It is also fantastic in water bottles, especially when hiking. 7.) Food would be grilled veggies from the farmer's market. 8.) My companions would be my husband, and the dragonflies and hummingbirds that call my backyard home.