Entrepreneurial Teens

Like most high seniors, Brad Cullinan and Katheryn Maloney are trying to earn some money this summer. However, instead of taking up a summer job, they have decided to start up their own little business - making jewelry from dead cicadas.

Cicadas are nature's longest living insects and spend most of their lives underground sucking sap from tree roots. They emerge every 12,13, or 17 years as black shrimp-sized bugs, with transparent wings and red beady eyes. Cicadas emerge only to reproduce and die soon after.

The current brood invadingCape Cod is the 17-year brood (that means they spent 17 years underground), which is the largest one. Since millions of them emerge at the same time, the sheer number of them can be daunting and even a nuisance. However, they are pretty harmless. They are also a favorite food of cats, dogs, birds, squirrels, rats and humans too. The bugs are very high in protein and supposedly very tasty - kinda like 'cold canned asparagus'.

Now Brad and Katheryn have come up with another use for the bugs. They got the idea from Brad's mum and started to craft their jewelry in mid-June. They take dead Cicadas and use a lacquer to coat the insects. Once the outer surface hardens, they pierce a needle through the body of the bug with string or wire. They then add beads and color them with either food coloring or spray paint. Each piece of jewelry is unique.

So far, they have made about 75 pairs of earrings and 14 necklaces. Last weekend, they displayed their wares at a local farmers market and met with much success. Priced at $10 a piece, they managed to sell out all the necklaces and seven pairs of earrings.They even sold some to an owner of a gift shop.

Brad and Katheryn said the reaction to their product was mixed. Some folks were grossed out, while others were fascinated and loved their idea.

They plan to continue 'manufacturing' and selling their creations at the market all through the summer. Through the process, they have realized that their time is better spent on making the jewelry, rather than looking for the bugs.

So like real entrepreneurs, they have outsourced the collection of cicadas to kids in the neighborhood, who receive 5cts for each bug they collect.

They are also looking ahead to see what other bugs they can use to craft their next collection, once the cicadas are all gone. What an enterprising pair of teenagers!

Sources: Capecodtimes, National Geographic.com