Cicadas are back, cicadas are snacks!

image from npr (Ed Reschke/Getty Images) — Periodical Cicada, Adult, Magicicada spp. Requires 17 years to complete development. Nymph splits its skin, and transforms into an adult. Feeds on sap of tree roots. Northern Illinois Brood. This brood is the largest emergence of cicadas anywhere

Now that summer is here, Brood X, a brood of cicadas that have lain dormant for 17 years, is finally emerging! Loud, numerous, and nutritious, these cicadas are actually edible! Our very own Professor Martha Weiss, an evolutionary ecologist and cicada stan, shared some insights into the best ways to prepare these “tree shrimp” for eating in the Washington Post food section! Though not for everyone, cicadas are a great snack with a fascinating developmental cycle: https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/05/05/cicadas-cooking-recipes/ (new window)