The cicadas come every 17 years. But, the Cult of Climastrology has now hijacked this perfectly natural occurrence for their own doomsday purposes, as seen in Axios
The cicadas are foreshadowing our future with more — and more dangerous — insect swarms
Trillions of Brood X cicadas are now emerging throughout parts of the mid-Atlantic and Midwestern U.S.
Why it matters: Most immediately, because they can be as loud as a Metallica show when they’re singing in concert.
But the behavior of cicadas will provide important clues to how climate change and human influence are altering the environment, and preview a future where some insects — including many of the species that most threaten us — could swarm in ever greater numbers.
By the numbers: As soil temperatures 8 inches underground reach 64°F, it will signal to cicadas of Brood X that it is time to end their 17 years underground and burst through the forest floors and suburban lawns of their native territory. (snip through information on cicadas, especially that they are not dangerous in the least)
The big picture: Climate change and habitat loss have already been implicated in the decline of countless other insects, from wild bees to monarch butterflies to certain kinds of moths. But other insect species will thrive in a warmer world — to the detriment of the rest of us.
So, this happens every 17 years, this has been happening for a long, long time (some scientists think this goes back deep into the last ice age), but, Climate Emergency! Why? If you’re asking you must be a Denier, and should have your voice shut down. Just join the cult!
See, we learn about honeybees, which love warm weather, but, are doomed from warm weather because shut up, you Denier! It couldn’t possibly be due to actual pollutants and land use. Shut up.
Suburban development in partially forested areas — as well as climate change — is increasing the threat from tick-borne diseases, with the number of counties in the Northeast and upper Midwest considered at high risk of Lyme disease increasing by more than 300% between 1992 and 2012.
So, mostly suburban development, not a tiny 1.5F increase in global temps since 1850. But, don’t say that you Denier! Heresy!
The catch: Connecting climate change to insect-borne disease is tricky, in part because rising incidences of diseases like Lyme likely also reflect greater awareness and more meticulous tracking.
But, they still will. They just did. Cicadas have zero to do with climate change, whether natural, anthropogenic, or some combination. Yet, they went down this doomsaying cult road.
The bottom line:Â Cicadas are a loud, if temporary nuisance, but more dangerous bugs aren’t going anywhere.
If that’s the bottom line, then why all the cultish doomsaying?
