They crawl, they fly, they make lots of noise, they pee stronger than an elephant and they are coming soon to a yard near you. We warned you, the cicada swarm is coming. This area, and a large chunk of the midwest, will play host to a brood of periodical cicadas – the big ugly bugs that only come out after a long period of years. Brood number 19. The last time we saw this brood was in 2011 and its made up of four species of 13-year cicadas, bugs that pop out of the ground every 13 years. Why will there be more? For the first time since 1803, brood 19 will be emerging as the same time as brood number 13, 17 year cicadas. The last time both broods appeared together, Thomas Jefferson was signing the Louisiana Purchase.
It may not be so bad, as they may not overlap geographically. No worries though, they can’t bite or jump, but, they are loud! Some facts: cicadas can produce a mating call up to 90 decibels, which is louder than lawn mowers. Many people worldwide eat them and birds tend to feast on them, instead of butterflies.
