Yesterday on the golf course I heard a constant whirring sound and knew; the cicadas are here! In the south, adult cicadas of this particular genus emerge from underground to mate. They have been living as larvae under the ground, eating roots, for 13 years waiting for this moment. Only the males emit this constant sound which can be heard for long distances during this time of the year. Cicadas are arboreal (live in trees), and empty exoskeletons are sometimes found on tree trunks. Cicadas can damage plant life, and may have been the cause for historical “locust” assaults on crops. This is just one of the local bits of info that make living at Oconee unique!