Every year it seems that people say, “It will be a bad year for ____.” Whether that be bugs, weather, sickness, or other things people don’t like. This year many have heard the phrase, “It will be a bad year for cicadas.”
Cicadas are small insects native to every continent except Antarctica. They are known for their loud buzz or call. Many associate this noise with heat as it is very loud and prominent during the summer months. They are also known for shedding their skins which stick to tree branches.
So what does it mean that it will be a bad year for cicadas? This year is actually not as common as many think.
There are seven different types of cicadas. Four that emerge every 13 years and three that emerge every 17 years. However, once every 221 years a rare occurrence happens when the 17 and 13 years land on the same year. This happens to be this year.
This rare event hasn’t happened since 1803 when Thomas Jefferson was the president. So what does this rare event mean for us?
More than a trillion cicadas are expected. Meaning the annoying buzz will be even louder. However, cicadas are a main food source for birds and other animals, as well as nutrition for soil.
Despite speculation, cicadas are not harmful to humans. They are not poisonous and will not bite humans. Even though many think they’re gross and creepy looking, these insects are no danger to any animal as they are herbivores.
This summer, if you get annoyed by the loud buzzing from cicadas, remember that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event that not even your kids or grandkids will experience.
Be on the lookout for these insects in states Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, Wisconsin.
For more information on these insects visit the site https://cicadasafari.org/ created by Mount St. Joseph University.
