Don’t Go Barefoot: Billions Of Cicadas Emerging Bring Pit Vipers Out In New Jersey
OK, we already told you about those 17-year periodical cicadas emerging this spring...BILLIONS of these bugs lie dormant for 17 years and then pop up through the ground like a horror movie. That is supposed to happen this May. Well, hang onto your hat because apparently, this influx of cicadas triggers other things to happen like an increase in pit vipers! PIT VIPERS! That's it Jersey, I tap out. Literally, I can't handle this. I like my doses of nature few and far between and this is, well, unacceptable. Don’t be surprised if you see copious amounts of copperheads coming out to enjoy an easy cicada snack. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Footwear is really important this spring and I'm posting this so you are mindful of where you step. Copperheads are not looking to go after anyone, but most bites happen because of a mistaken step. I know the cicadas song might summon you but if you are going outside to experience the cicadas just know you are not alone. Copperheads tend to be found in Hunterdon, Mercer, and Somerset Counties all the way up to the New Jersey/New York border in the north. I want to be fair and say this again, these snakes are typically shy and want nothing to do with us humans BUT they want everything to do with those cicadas, campers beware. The copperhead is venomous, but its venom is rarely deadly if that means anything to you.
We are in for a noisy spring too..when the male cicadas send their mating call look out...it can reach up to 100 decibels. The females hear that song and go off to find their date for the evening and through all of this, snakes are licking their chops. You've been warned! At the very least calm me down and promise to wear shoes when you walk the dog after dinner.
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