• 2 hours ago Photo credit: thecleverroot.com (WEAA) - As we all know, cicadas will be making their debut towards the end of May and will live above ground from four to six weeks. They’ll begin to die off between late June and early July after mating and laying hundreds of eggs. Although most individuals look at cicadas in disgust and express a great deal of fear over the insect, some are adventurous enough to consume the creepy crawlers! Cicadas are gluten-free, high in protein, low in fat, and low in carbohydrates. They have an asparagus- like flavor, especially when they are consumed raw or boiled, says Gene Kritsky, a biologist and cicada expert at the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. If you are allergic to shellfish, then consuming cicadas are probably not in your best interest due to the fact they are from the same biological phylum - arthropods.