Cicada report: Epilogue

[muckefuck]

On the way into work this morning, I witnessed two squirrels fighting over a cicada. One had it cornered, but the other chased him away and snatched it. Hijinks ensued, and when the duff settled, the thief began nibbling away at the bug exactly as he would a nut. For his part, the bug BUZZED LIKE HELL THE WHOLE TIME. I watched fascinated until the sound began to die down and I realised it was muffled from coming from inside the squirrel's gullet.

At least it didn't have to wait 17 years for that end. If the periodic cicadas never really amounted to anything in this part of town (I think at most I heard two and saw three, all dead or near it), you can't say the same about the annuals. Whenever I leave work any more, the sky splits with the metallic chirp of hundreds of screaming insects. It makes it easy to forget that we're into the last weekend of the traditional summer season. Sure, the nights are cooler, but that can happen even in the middle of the dog days. I still haven't felt that crispness in the air that tells me autumn has well and truly arrived.

Comments

[foodpoisoningsf.livejournal.com]

Squirrel, getting its cicada buzz on.

[alcippe.livejournal.com]

You're right - no autumn crispness yet. But I swear I can smell it coming every now and then. And the light is becoming different.

I love fall.