Cicada

A big thank-you to the bee man! Hearsayer Audrey B. of Hart County had a lot to say about an encounter with a bunch of honeybees on Easter weekend. “They were hugging the side of a tree about 10 feet up and the swarm was about five inches thick!” Mrs. Aud allowed as how her fam didn’t know what to do about the bees but remembered having “bought a quart of honey at Morgan Hardware (in Lavonia, Ga.) and it was Mr. Walker’s Honey from Martin, Ga. We got the telephone number of Mr. Walker from the jar of honey. He came in his overalls and beard and said he has been keeping bees and making honey since he was a young boy. Mr. Walker climbed a ladder and gently swept the bees into one of his boxes. As long as the queen bee enters the box, they will all follow. Mr. Walker asked for a cup of coffee, waited a while and continued another sweeping of bees into the box … Our family learned so much that day and realized the miracle of pollination and new life. Thank you, Mr. Walker, for all your experience and knowledge!” And by the bee way, Mr. Walker’s first name is “Rollo” (pronounced “Rah-lo”) and if you are beset by a swarm of bees, by all means, call the bee man at (706) 599-1073.
News from 13-Year Cicada Central! “It’s like being in a sci-fi movie!” Hearsayer Cynthia of Abbeville opined on May 3. “I was outside with my dog, PJ, and the noise was like we were getting attacked. You could hear them crawling around. They were flying everywhere and hitting the house. It was really spooky!” Thanks, Cyn, and read this from Hearsayer Momagain45: “I live near the Ebenezer Fire Department, just off Highway 413. I noticed the buzzing sound Sunday (May 1). The buzzing never stops and seems to get louder during the day!” And from Hearsayer JRB1953: “They have been buzzing all day today (May 3) in the Craytonville area.” And from Hearsayer Mdale, who lives between Iva and Antreville, on Highway 184. “I came home to an irritating noise today (May 6). It sounded like a lot of emergency vehicles. I rode up the road and down the road but didn’t see anything and couldn’t tell where it was coming from.” Several hours later, Ms. M said, she discovered “these huge bugs on the play set. Lots of them — cicadas! I would never have predicted the sounds coming from such small creatures.” Well, all you fine Hearsayers who have been hearing cicadas, thank you for letting Hearsay know about the noise. Just wish they’d come to Hartwell so Hearsay could hear ‘em too!

Fried cicadas for supper? Now Hearsayer Martha, who lives in the Slabtown community near Anderson, tuned in with — believe it or not — a really fine fried cicada recipe! “I found an Indian cookbook at a yard sale,” Mrs. M mentioned. “This is one of the recipes: ‘LOCUST. Gather locust (cicada) at night, then pick up those out of shell, remove shell from others. Do not let sunshine on them or they will spoil. Wash and then fry in a small amount of grease. Eat hot or cold.’ ” Or maybe not at all?