Expert Says Dead Cicadas Make Great Mulch

DAYTON, Ohio -- Weeks after billions of cicadas emerged from the ground, the insects that appear once every 17 years are starting to die and drop from the trees.

So what do you do with thousands of dead cicadas? An expert at an Ohio college says rake 'em up and use them for mulch.

Mount Saint Joseph biology professor Gene Kritsky says the insects are high in nitrogen and potassium -- two ingredients in any good fertilizer. Kritsky says it's a waste to bag up the dead bugs and throw them away.

He says the so-called Brood X cicadas are getting toward the end of their life cycle and that the region can expect to see a rapid die-off in the middle of next week.