The United States is gearing up for the largest cicada invasion in 200 years. Several species of cicadas that have been buried for decades are completing their cycle at the same time, leading to an exceptional invasion expected in about a month or two.
Every year, millions of cicadas invade the eastern and southern United States, like in Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, and sometimes New York. But in 2024, the University of Colorado announces that billions of cicadas will emerge from the ground between May and June. While some cicadas emerge from the ground every summer, this is not the case for other species, whose eggs remain buried for years before the insects emerge.
Two subspecies will complete their cycles of 13 and 17 years, respectively, at the same time this year. These periodic cicadas will surface very noisily, singing, once the ground temperature reaches 17 to 18°C, which is why not all US states will be affected at the same time. Once above ground, these cicadas will only live for a few weeks with the sole purpose of reproducing.
A Completely Harmless Invasion
The last time such an invasion occurred in the United States was in 1803. 15 states were affected: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Cicadas are not afraid of humans and may enter clothing or land in hair. The University of Colorado emphasizes that there is no need to worry, as this natural invasion is harmless to both humans and crops. On the contrary, it will bring joy to birds and rodents that feed on them. The cicadas’ corpses that are not eaten will fall to the ground, providing a great fertilizer for plants.