You may have seen, in the national news, a story about a big swarm of cicadas expected this summer.  Here are some of the facts concerning this event.

The cicada is a large and harmless insect with 2 pairs of membranous wings and a beak for piercing and sucking.  All animals have mature and immature phases in their life cycle but, what’s unusual about this insect is that some species, in this family, spend 17 years in immature stages in the soil and a few weeks as mature adults, high in trees.  Several broods of the genus Magicicada have been identified and their life cycles recorded.  In one of the largest of them, known as brood II, a massive emergence of the adults of this brood occurred in 1996.  This means that the generation that they produced is due to emerge this year, and that has already started to happen.

The wingless nymphs have spent the last 17 years feeding on roots in the soil and growing through several instars.  Then, on a series of nights, early in the season, a bunch of them emerges from the soil.  They climb several feet up a tree.  Then, clinging to the trunk, the winged adult emerges from the nymphal skeleton.  By morning, blood has been pumped into the wing veins and they are able to fly off to near the top of the tree.  The shed nymph skeleton can still be seen, clinging to the tree trunk.  The adult males vibrate sound organs on their abdomens, making a buzzing sound to attract females.  Where there is a large emergence this year, there’s so much of this buzzing, making it so loud, that hikers have a hard time hearing each other.  The eggs drop to the ground and the little nymphs hatch out and go underground for another 17 years.

While we have cicadas here, and you might hear them and see the nymph skeletons on trees during our next few hikes, this particular brood is not known to occur in this area.  If you go to the web site, www.magicicada.org, you can bring up maps showing where they occur and where they have been seen emerging.  In case your travels take you there in the next few weeks, you can be treated to a rare and interesting natural phenomenon.

On Sunday, 5/4/14, 18 energetic hikers showed up at Sonyea State Forest.  This was a new location for our group.  The sky was partly cloudy and temps in 50s, making for pleasant, almost ideal, hiking conditions. Before hiking, we went, briefly, to a cemetery, across the road from the parking area.  During the 19th Century, there was a “home” for epileptic patients, on the site.  When a patient died, he was uncerimoniusly buried, with just his patient number to mark his grave.  One grave had a stone, with a name, probably put there by the family. But, we were here to hike.  Rick lead the majority of hikers along the west side of the forest, along the Keshequa Creek Gorge, mainly on a trail made from former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks.  Scenic rapids and falls in the creek could be seen, as well as canal remnants.  Rick deviated slightly from our prehike path, coming out of the gorge, but, all got back well, enjoying a nice Sunday hike, about 4 miles.

A field of red Trillium

3 of us hung back, starting out slowly, to try to identify the many spring flowers on the trail.  Among those in full bloom were hepatica, spring beauty, bloodroot, coltsfoot, blue violets, spring rue, blue cohosh, and both red and white trilliums.  Mayapples were identified, but not yet blooming.  There were huge expanses of daylilies, not in bloom now, but should be quite a sight in about a month.  Spicebushes were in bloom.  Too early for mushrooms but many kinds of last year’s polypores were seen.  We could have checked out lots more but had to keep moving to complete the 3.7 mile loop before 4 PM.

Our social was a picnic at the parking lot.  Turned out to be vegetarian but some very healthy and delicious choices.  In our discussion, it was noted how our group uses Sunday afternoons to maintain our health with vigorous exercise, followed by a nutritious and enjoyable meal.

Information on some future events: (keep up to date on our calendar)

Saturday, May 10:  We are invited to join the Victor Hiking Group for a hike at scenic Chimney Bluffs on Lake Ontario.

The hike will be 3 to 4 miles on varying terrain. Bring a bag lunch and something to drink. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy hiking boots. Meet in the rear parking lot at Victor Town Hall, 85 East Main Street at 9:00 a.m. to carpool to the trail head. Or meet at the park in the large parking lot off Garner Road at 10:00 a.m. Map

Additional details can be found by calling 585-234-8226.

Sunday, June 1:  On our scheduled hike for that day at the north end of Letchworth State Park, co-leader Don has arranged a special tour of the Mt. Morris Dam for our group, at 12:30.  A minimum of 20 participants is required.  Anyone interested in doing this most informative tour is asked to contact Don at [email protected].  You can also contact Don for information about the hike this Saturday at Chimney Bluffs.

Friday, May 9:  Anyone who would like to join Pam, and others, to help clear and work on the Springwater Trail, please come, with loppers and other tools, to the Sugarbush Hollow sugar house at 9 AM.

Someone is still needed to organize the hikes for the summer months of July, August, and September.

Volunteer committees are being organized to maintain the Springwater Trail, and the Letchworth Trail.  If you would like to help in any of these endevours, please reply to [email protected].