Year of the Locusts

Haven't read or heard anything here in Los Angeles. Maybe it's an Iowa deal. Our only immediate threat is our state legislature, but that's a different story. We're doomed with all kinds of bad things so I'm sure a little locust won't be that big of deal.

That being said..................do you think they'll clog up my pool filter.

Not heard anything about locusts up here in PacNW. I certainly have not heard any VI scuttlebut re. locust plagues.

This is a real threat, I'm not joking. Every 21 years or so comes a locust so destructive that it eats everything. Land, crops, garbage, you name it. For those not willing to experience this, you better move to the islands. Last time my husband and I had to a scoop of a basic 4' pile hill of dead fish fliesfor $500 a trucklaod. I will never do that again. Estimating these 21 year locusts are amazing.

"Every 21 years or so comes a locust so destructive that it eats everything. Land, crops, garbage, you name it."

Maybe they'll solve the nationwide landfill problem -- eat our garbage and fly off to Canada and Mexico with full bellies? 😀

Edited first time to add an emoticon.
Edited second time to explain that my first edit was to add an emoticon.

Now that was funny.

Molly, I'm sure you're a lot more knowledgeable about locusts than I am. But I'm 63 next month and that means I would have lived through at least two of those bad boys and coming up on my third. What you have described I have not read or heard about.

Man, 4 feets of locust is some pile of locust. For some reason, I think that much locust would have caught my eye somewhere.

You don't by any chance live in sub sahara africa, because I do understand they have a problem there.

Hang around for fish flies. Even our local police gives there bug count that the police have to follow. Again still living onthe river with problems.

promoguy,

Since you'll be 63 next month you surely remember the plague of locusts chronicled in Exodus 10:13-14, 19. 😛

Edited once to spell out Exodus in case promoguy's ancient memory requires jostling (remember, it's called Edy's ice cream east of the Mississipps and Dreyer's ice cream west of the Mississippi.)

If you deal in futurers (meaning the stock market) pleads have patience. please contact our local agent. Joe Bernardi. !)% to !#% return. 10% minimum on average if you are accepted..

Would that be Joe Bernardi in Dubuque IA?

I am still an Iowan, they are giving all farners an alert. As we speak, my desired subject has left.

I'm still awaiting other Iowans.

Promoguy,

No kidding, we can have 4 to 8 feet of dead bugs in a single night.

"As we speak, my desired subject has left. I'm still awaiting other Iowans."

“Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson!”

Nanu nanu.

OK - a quick search of the Internet revealed nothing on 21 year locusts but a site dedicated to 17 yr cicadas and the Dept. of Entomology at Auburn U. produced a paper on 13 yr cicadas in Alabama.
Molly, is there a website you can direct us to that outlines the 21 yr locust threat - this is fascinating if a little irrelevant.

In Missouri we had 21 yr. locust and 7 yr locusts at the same time. Driving down the road with the windows down was amazingly loud. You could hear them 'sing' so loudly that your radio couldn't compete. Of course driving with your windows down at night in Misssouri isn't recommended anyway, but unusual that year all the same. We didn't kill the locusts so I guess they went to Iowa to pile up. I saw maybe one or two around the front porch, but they were not that big so I could wade thru.

Teresa

Wow, now I suddenly don't miss having a tv.. this is better than tennis.
Teresa, the locust go to Iowa to die.. it's like the elephant graveyard.. If you had killed them when you had the chance, you could have saved the world.

Molly, I quite lost it at this point and further down.....we went from locusts to fish flies to stock futures?

4-8 feet of dead locusts in one night - is that linear or cubic feet?

Molly, you'll never make the islands......If you have a month of locust shells piled up over you, I don't see how you can possibly dig through 120-240 feet of dead locusts, dragging your earthly belongings behind you....I can only echo the sentiments of Greg Louganis, the Olympian swimmer, while talking about an abusive relationship - "get out. Get out now". (Incidentally, that was the highlight of his book and the only part that made good sense). Maybe he was in Iowa during a locust plague when he wrote that - I'll need to do some checking on that.

Beth, all due respect - tennis rates right on up there with infomercials at 3 a.m. You ain't missin' nothin'....trust me, the locusts are WAY more entertaining, but not as much so as "what to do after sunset", which is almost creepy now.....

I suddenly have a different view of Iowa than ever before.

Hey guys, Obviously I wasn't very focused last night. I was speaking of two seperate bug issues. I originally was speaking about the locusts. It has been a topic of concern for us living in Iowa. They are devestating. Somehow I rolled in the stock market and futures and the fact that I wouldn't roll the dice in the stock market for Iowa crops this year.

The other bugs I was talking about were the fishflies (commonly known as mayflies), they are perfectly harmless, but a disgusting nusience. The hatch out of the river to mate and then die. They close bridges because the roads get so slick. They are attracted to light, so they will form enormous piles under street lights. This is not an Iowa issue, it is a river issue. The Mississippi river to be specific.

I believe that we ARE talking about the 17 Year Locust and, as Jane says, there is quite a bit of information on the internet if you google "locusts" or "cicadas". I also think they primarily infest the midwest, which would account for why many are unfamiliar with them. They are huge, vile noisy and destructive.

Joanee, I agree...................but four feet deep of the little critters???????????

Molly, are you talking about locusts, which are or resemble a grass hopper, or Cicadas? Cicadas sing at night ( sound a lot like the tree frogs type of sound), and they look like a big fly, usually about 1" to 1 1/4" lond, they come out ewvery 13 or so years and shed a clear skin or shell on the walls or trees. We always called them locusts when we were kids.

terry,

That's what we called them too. Cicadas (I couldn't remember). We would collect the skins and put them on people's shirts to freak them out. Lots of fun as a kid. 🙂

Teresa

Actually, a number of desert locusts did attempt to "relocate to the islands" back in 1988. Fortunately, they did not manage to establish themselves.

See link to article below:

http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/ipmhome.html

Have a wonderful day everyone!!!

Best,
🙂 Mell

Hello all,

What I think should happen - and I know I will be ignored totally on this - is somehow lure all those locusts down to STX, perhaps with the promise of free and abundant food (from the airport landfill) as someone suggested earlier. Of course, free transport will have to be provided. OK, why? Getting all those thousands of brains together in one room - as tiny and dumb as they may be - will have to produce something good, no? ...Perhaps the solution to parts acquisition for luxury automobiles.
And who knows how many other pressing, intractible problems that now bedevil the island could likewise be dispatched? All those uselessly beating little wings could be harnessed to produce much-needed electricity. Who needs computers when a question - any question - could be put to these critters and they in their collective wisdom would proceed to find an answer? Instant or near-instanjt messaging via locust can be envisioned - who needs Vitelco, who needs Jeffrey Prosser?
The only difficulty I see is the communication issue. Mongoose might be the answer to this. At this point there are probably more of them on STX than birds ( birdbrains being the preferred intermediaries to locustbrains) so the chances are good we can find one suitable as an interpreter of locust-speak. This is do-able, people. A darker purpose can also be contemplated: threatening those meanies in Congress that won't let VI residents, native or not, we shouldn't discriminate, cast meaningful ballots for President.. "Oh, you say we can't vote? OK, a plague (of locusts) on you!" See where I'm going with this?

PT