Ledger Live with Brian Donohue. Every 17 years, a brood of periodical cicadas emerges from the ground in north and central New Jersey, swarming backyards, parks and forests, creating a near biblical scene and an unholy racket. Meanwhile, scientists are increasingly pondering the possibility that insects could be a key protein source for the world's exploding population. With cicadas swarming, Donohue sets out to gather enough for a meal in an Edison Township backyard and cook them up in the Star-Ledger kitchen with the help of reporter Vicki Hyman.