In late April or early May this year, when the ground temperature reaches a
balmy 64° F, an amazing group of insects will begin to emerge on the East
Coast. They are known as Brood II of the infamous periodical cicadas! After
hiding out underground for 17 years, billions of these incredible insects
are ready to put on a show from North Carolina to New York’s Hudson Valley.
It may be too early to predict exactly where or when the brood will begin to
appear, but read the entire story and be ready for the buzz.
2004, 147 pages, 54 figures (some color, 21 maps), 5 tables, key, extensive
bibliography. Periodical cicadas are the “bugs” of history. When first
encountered by settlers in the New World, they were thought of as a plague
and later as a harbinger of war. This public fear was replaced with the
puzzle of their biology as natural historians started to study these
insects- insects that use time as a survival strategy.
The book takes the reader on a historical tour of the periodical cicadas by
reviewing unpublished and rarely read papers on cicadas, written over a
260-year period. This background provides the foundation for a review of the
new discoveries made during the past century and the distribution of the
broods. The brood range maps are as compelling as the historical accounting
is complete.
This is the ideal book to start your own study of these fascinating insects.
Hardcover; 6 x 9”.
About the Author - Dr. Gene Kritsky is Professor and Chair of Biology
at the College of Mount St. Joseph, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Editor-in-Chief of
American Entomologist. He is the author of seven books and over 150
scientific papers on entomology, the history of biology, and Egyptology. He
was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in 1986. Dr. Kritsky’s research has attracted national attention
with appearances on ABC and CBS Evening News, the Today Show, and CNN. His
research has also been featured in U.S. News and World Report, USA Today,
People, Discover, Scientific American, The New York Times, and The
Washington Post.
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