The Guadalajara Reporter

They’re here!

Granted, it’s a little early but that particular croaking-screeching call of the wild that you’re hearing in your garden really is that of the “rain bird.”

This beetle, (actually a cicada) famous for living underground for 17 years and coming out just to mate and die, is awaited here with baited-breath anticipation. We know that within 40 days after the first one is heard, we’ll have our first real rain storm. This year the little critters are particularly welcome while we watch out beautiful Lake Chapala shrink up to a puddle. So don’t complain about their irritating noise (like those folks back home who live in gated communities and can’t understand how their peace and quiet could be impacted by bugs) and start counting. According to my calculations and those of my gardener’s, we’ll see that rain before the end of May this year.