They’re big. They’re loud. They’re everywhere. 17 year Cicadas have taken over many of the midwest states this summer.
And if you’re anything like me, you’re not a fan.
While it’s true that they are completely harmless to people and plants , they aren’t exactly welcomed like say a 6 week swarm of butterflies would be.
At first it was a fun scientific adventure with the kids. To see these creatures emerge from the ground after being “dormant” for 17 years is kind of a big deal. I mean, it’s not everyday that this stuff happens.
But a few weeks in (plus a few rainy days to bring MORE bugs to the surface), and we are starting to go a little batty.
The simple act of walking outside to take out the trash or get the mail has us running, screeching, and fighting to keep our personal space.
It’s not a fun scientific observation anymore. It’s a real annoyance and disturbance to life.
Not to mention a real downer at the start of the summer – our “real” summer back after the COVID shenanigans.
So what’s a Mom to do for the next 6 weeks during this cicada invasion?
We certainly can’t enjoy the simple summer pleasures like usual, but there are plenty of things we can do to pass the time (and survive).
Just take it from a homeschooling homebody like me! Because, you gotta be a little bit creative when you juggle business, homeschooling, and Motherhood.
First, let’s talk about survival tips for 17 year cicadas when you’re deathly afraid of them.
I won’t lie, I am kind of a girl when it comes to big bugs.
It’s funny that someone like me – who spend their entire childhood playing in the woods and collecting creatures in jars – would turn out to be the type of person who squeals from fear when a harmless cicada lands on her.
But, this is what it is. And I have zero shame for it.
As someone who has developed a slight fear of these creatures, I have been more observant to their activity during the day. So, there’s a few things that I have noticed so far.
Cicadas are less active in the early morning before the temperatures start to get warm.
This is the time when it’s less likely to be dive bombed by a cicada (or a dozen).
Every morning when I go to make my coffee, I check out all the areas of my yard. Our front tree, which happens to be a prime spot for cicada mating, is quiet and calm.
To be honest, this is when I check the garden, take out the trash, or clean up anything out in the yard.
Even though I can’t work on my summer tan during this time of day, I can get outside for a bit without the added fear of being bombarded by them invading my personal space.
This isn’t the only circumstance when they are less active though.
Cicadas calm down at twilight.
Just like in the morning, cicadas are less active in the evening.
Where we live in southern Ohio, they start to become less of a nuisance around 6:30pm, which is roughly 2 hours before the sun starts to set.
The closer to dusk, the less active they get.
Once the temps start to drop for the day, it seems like they know it’s close to bed time – and I must admit, I am GLAD of their biological clock.
This is when I have been doing my gardening and other outdoor things.
So, there isn’t any reason to be cooped up all day every day while they are around for the better part of 6 weeks. And for that, I am grateful!
Cicadas don’t like the rain
Another reason to love the rain.
When it rains, cicadas find shelter and they stop buzzing all together, even during a slow drizzle.
I have even noticed that they have zero swimming skills if they get trapped in a bucket, a puddle, or in my case, the toddler’s water table.
The water may not be their demise, but it definitely slows them down.
While it might not be an ideal time for you to get your outside chores done or run errands, you can be sure not to be bothered by these creatures during this time.
The 17 year old cicadas don’t emerge everywhere all at once.
2 weeks before they emerged in strong numbers at our house, they were already full force in other areas surrounding us.
And not just that, but they aren’t even making an appearance at all in some of our surrounding towns.
How about that?!
Depending on your region, not all areas will be affected, so it might be worth it to do a bit of research and see where these little buggers aren’t likely to show up.
This map shows you when and where these guys will make their way from underground and into your living space.
This 6 week(ish) period doesn’t have to leave all of the fun out of summer.
There are plenty of fun, summer kid-friendly activities that you can find to do inside while you pass the time.
Here’s a few things that we’ve started doing.
Start a puzzle
One of my favorite things to do during the hot days of summer (and cold spells in the winter) is to start a new puzzle.
It’s a fun, laid-back activity that the whole family can join in and work on piece by piece (haha, get it?!).
Buffalo puzzles are my ABSOLUTE favorite. The artwork is just gorgeous and they have a variety of options to choose from.
In fact, I just put this puzzle in my shopping cart – this serene summery scene is just calling my name right now.
Which design would you choose to start?
Learn a new language
This has always been at the top of my list growing up, but never made the time for it.
Since my grade school French was a bit rusty, I decided to sign my kids & I up for Babbel.
We ended up choosing Spanish to focus on and it’s been a great activity that we can all do together!
It’s a fun & easy way to learn conversational language at your own speed and in various ways for different learning styles.
If this has been on your bucket list, then why not use this time to check it off and start?!
You can get 3 months free (when you pay for 3 months) when you sign up with this link. Try it out and make this part of the summer educational AND productive indoors.
Start a craft camp
One of my favorite things to do during the summer as a kid were summer crafts.
Being able to use my creative side to create things was so fun, and it’s a simple way to keep kids busy and engaged indoors.
There are literally hundreds of things that you can choose to do with your kids, so doing a bit of digging might be fun!
Paper planes, DIY terrariums, stepping stone garden kits , friendship bracelets, and the list goes on.
Give craft time a go, what else are you going to do?
Clean the house, top to bottom
Generally speaking, summer is when the house quickly becomes in disarray.
Between outdoor activities and leaving & being gone more, the house tends to get a little bit more messy in the summer months.
But, not while the cicadas are here!
We’ve been using this time to clean, purge, and organize every room of the house.
I knew that once the cicadas started to come out, we would be spending more time indoors (my kids aren’t really huge fans either), so I made sure to prep my kids with indoor expectations.
More indoor time does not equal more screen & leisure time. So, I created this chore & rewards system to help them stay on track.
And you know what? It’s been working!
I just printed them out, laminated for durability, and got to work immediately.
The house has been staying more clean than normal AND the kids are getting to earn extra rewards based on how many extra chores they choose to do.
Create a book club
Every summer I involve my kids in a reading club at our local library. But, because of the unfortunate events of the past year, I have decided to start our 2nd summer book club right here at home.
I have added it as a part of our rewards system this time.
For every 20 tickets that they earn, they get to choose a new book from Momma’s library (that would be me and my office closet).
I have made sure to stock chapter books that they can add to their collection AND keep them busy during the day besides wanting to waste time on the TV.
So far? It’s been a huge hit and they are eager to keep earning tickets for more books!
Plan for the future
This is the time of year when I plan for our next homeschooling year, so it’s the perfect opportunity to use this time without feeling guilty for not being outside.
It’s also a great time to plan vacations, trips, events, and upcoming outings.
I’ve been doing more research on where we will take field trips for schools and homeschool programs to get involved in.
Just because these cicadas have been limiting our outdoor play for now does not mean we can’t plan for some awesome things to come!
Be creative with cooking
What better way to spend indoors than being a bit more creative with what you make in the kitchen?
Testing new recipes, batch cooking for upcoming months, and teaching your kids the ins and out of baking can be taken advantage of.
Why not prepare a few frozen meals to quickly take out for the future when you’re too busy enjoying the summer to cook?
Or perhaps let your kids bake an exciting new dessert to share after dinner?
This is a fun and easy way to pass the time and delight in the simple musings of family life. At least it is for us!
Face your fear
Yep, you can use this time to walk outside and just face the fear you have about bugs.
I managed to dig out an entire rain garden on a day when the cicadas were out in full force. And if I can do that, I think anyone could.
I might have screamed a time or two and ducked and ran a few times too many, but I faced it.
And you know what? It wasn’t REALLY that bad.
(but I haven’t braved it again since).
17 year old Cicadas, and all kinds of cicadas, are harmless.
Although a bit loud and bothersome, they don’t have to ruin your summer plans.
So, make a plan and don’t let these fleeting summer days pass you by just because of a few bugs.