Photo: Ed Reschke / Stone / Getty Images
Cicadas only do their thing every 13 to 17 years, but this year, a perfect cicada storm has brought a trillion of the little buggers out of their hidey-hole.
2024 marks the first time in more than 200 years that Brood XIX, which arrives every 13 years, and Brood XIII, which arrives every 17 years, emerged at the same time.
It’s such a rare occurrence, the last time it happened was in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson was president.
Being that it’s so uncommon, it’s not surprising that many people have no idea what they’re hearing.
In Newberry County, South Carolina, the sheriff’s department is reporting that residents are so thrown by the bug-ruckus, that they’re calling the sheriff’s office asking why they can hear sirens or a roar.
The calls became so frequent, that the department issued a statement on Facebook, letting people know that the whining sound is just the male cicadas singing to attract mates after more than a decade of being dormant.
Some people have even flagged down deputies to ask what the noise is all about, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said.
For those blessed to live in unaffected parts of the country, the insect’s collective songs can be as loud as jet engines and scientists who study them often wear earmuffs to protect their hearing.
The good news?
The noise level should subside in about six weeks as the cicadas finish their business.
The better news?
The next time the cicada emergence should reach this level is around 2245.
Source: APNews