Is this cicada thing as epic as it’s hyped up to be? (Honestly, our regularly scheduled Eastern Tent Caterpillar infestations are just as intense.) It’s all anyone is talking about. And menu planning around. Recipe developers are pushing popcorn cicadas—real oxymoron if you believe cicadas should be savored, or cautiously stomached—especially if they’re infected with a psychedelic fungus that turns them into horny zombies:
“‘The fungus causes cicadas to lose their limbs and eccentric behavior sets in: Males try to mate with everything they encounter, although the fungus has consumed their genitals and butts,’ according to the researchers, which is why they have often referred to the infected cicadas as ‘zombies’ and ‘flying saltshakers of death.’”
And here’s a closeup:
Sadly, there’s no evidence suggesting that popping these drugged bugs will alter your consciousness into an insect VR Oingo Boingo remake:
Meanwhile, is this cat tripping on catnip, actually that dumb, or just flattering the artist’s ladybug realism?
We with the opposable green thumbs need something more miraculous to be so moved. Like unearthing a 480-million-year-old fossilized horn coral in the garden, finally biting into seasonal fruit, or a climate-change-caused influx of pollen to stir the sinuses.
Pollen and cicadas aren’t the only things swarming these days. Indoors, you might be noticing pests on your houseplants (here’s how to swat them away). But white stains or a fuzzy film indicate that you need to practice better leaf hygiene.
Yes, we agree it’s hard to keep track of what to clean, what to dirt, what to fuss over, and what to leave alone. Thankfully there’s a new guy, Greg, who has an app to help. Or if it’s just that you pruned a little too hard, no alibi required to start fresh with the fastest growing flowers out there.
Godspeed with ye seeds,
Aerate