Return of cicadas forces change in plans

Published: 2004-05-28

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Every year, college officials face the logistical challenge of planning commencement ceremonies. But this year, as an added hurdle, some planners knew they would have at their ceremonies literally thousands of party crashers that were not about to quiet down. The swarm of newcomers popping in at outdoor events in 14 Eastern states this season is billions of Brood X cicadas -- the black, red-eyed bugs that appear every 17 years to eat, procreate and shed their skin. The males make a constant buzz with their loud mating calls for at least five weeks. School officials at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore knew their traditional outdoor graduation ceremony under the old maple and oak trees on campus would not be half as picturesque, and more importantly, audible, with the cicada invasion. So for all the graduates' names to be heard, the May 28 ceremonies were moved indoors, just as they were 17 years ago.

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