Beltway Bambinos

They’re coming!! We have some fun resources for you and your family to educate yourself on the insects.

Book:
A cute book for kids Cecily Cicada, a delightful book, written by a mother/ daughter before the 17-year cicada emergence of 2004. They wrote it to ease the insect anxiety of their 3-year-old granddaughter/daughter when they learned the cicadas were coming. It tells the miraculous life of a special 17-year cicada named Cecily in an endearing way. Beautifully illustrated and fun. Patsy Helmetag has re-illustrated the original edition for a bright new look for the cicada emergence of 2021!

Podcast:
My kids loved this Radiolab podcast: The Septendecennial Sing-Along! While most of us hear a wall of white noise, squeaks, and squawks….David Rothenberg hears a symphony. He’s trained his ear to listen for the music of animals, and he’s always looking for chances to join in, with everything from lonely birds to giant whales to swarming cicadas. David Rothenberg explains his urge to connect and sing along, and helps break down the mysterious life cycle and mating rituals of the periodical cicadas into something we can all relate to.

Join virtually:
WAMU event: Cicada’s What’s the Buzz?
A conversation about cicadas on Thursday, May 13, at 7:00 p.m. ET. WAMU reporter Jacob Fenston and The Bug Guy, Mike Raupp, Ph.D., professor emeritus of entomology and extension specialist at The University of Maryland, will be talking all things cicada — from why they stay underground for 17 years to how, exactly, we should prepare to cohabitate with them all summer. Then, get a taste of the insects — literally — with a cicada cooking class taught by Iulian Fortu, chef and founder of Arcadia Venture!

Map & Tracker:
Cicada App

Articles:
Make cicadas fun for kids
Turn it into a science project
DCist explains what you need to know about the cicadas!
Washington Post: Can you eat cicadas? & Updates