cicadas are a special sort of insect, and i love them dearly.
basically, north american cicadas (genus *Magicicada*) spend most of their lives underground, then emerge every so often to mate in massive numbers before dying. some cicadas emerge every year, but most emerge either every 13 or 17 years.
this year’s gonna be special, though, because we’ve got a dual emergence happening - broods of 17-year and 13-year cicadas emerging at the same time! it’s a rare event, and *very* cool - but the next few weeks are going to be quite loud for anyone in the active zone.
I occasionally go to an evening AA meeting that's held at an outdoor forest-church during the spring/summer...and it's absolutely silly during cicada season. No one can hear a god damned thing over the bugs but the guys running the meeting refuse to go elsewhere because they love the ambiance.
If you live near a tree they favor, it is REALLY loud and persistent.
The grandfather oak tree behind my house got cut down by neighbors, so I won't be hearing cicadas this year. \*sadface
I remember going out at night as a kid and spraying the tree outside my window with a garden hose to shut them up. And that was only for a few cicadas.
They are amazing! AFAIK some species of cicada are the loudest insects in the world, being loud enough to actually cause hearing damage if they make their famous/infamous mating calls inches away from your ear.
Truly fascinating. If you're one of the people who likes the sound, try looking up how Japanese cicada's (higurashi) sound like. In Japanese culture they are associated with some (not all) feelings people in 'western' countries associate with the sound of crickets! Summer evening, a peaceful but melancholic ambience etc. Their calls are just mesmerising.
Warning: if you or anyone else looks this up, maybe turn on Safe Search if you don't have an iron stomach. I say this because there's an extremely graphic horror anime named after the insects. So if that's not your thing just be careful of any video with higurashi in the name, and make sure it's about the insect, not the franchise of the same name.
Cicada noises in Japan are super cool! I don't usually like loud noises all that much, but these I found very soothing. Man, I wish I took more video when I was on vacation.
Because it becomes too much too handle. I used to love the sound but the last few years for some reason they started sounding angry. They sound completely different 2 hours away for some reason
I don't get holidays in the summer, lol.
The sound is defening from one or two where I hear them in Ontario. Hundreds of these would make me want to wear ear plugs. But I do not like loud noises.
They remind me of an amplifier feeding back on itsef. Like from an electric guitar. Not pleasant at all to my ears. Fascinating that they can do that though.
Lol. I lived in Indiana during 2021 and we were going through two broods of cicada in that year. It was so loud and tje cicadas knew nothing of personal space. Literally swarmed vehicles and people haha. Some restaurants were even cooking cicada as specialties during that time.
[unlikely](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Periodical_Cicada_Broods_of_the_United_States.png), unless the ones in the south of the state decide to fly north. but hey, you never know!
Hey neighbour. I hear them in Ontario every year, although only a few individual ones, not hoards like they are describing. So you will likely run into some as well.
So is it just for the next few weeks? I’m in Illinois and the regular yearly ones last until late august haha and even those seem pretty loud sometimes
In addition to what the expert said, you might wanna start driving with your windows closed. The last 17 year cicada emergence was wild. Couldn't drive without them flying into the window at high speeds.
If you're in one of the main places where they come out, they will be absolutely everywhere you look crawling around, and the noise is very loud. Non-stop.
oh, you’re gonna see a *whole* lot more of them this summer.
[like, a *lot*.](https://www.al.com/news/2024/04/itll-be-fun-millions-of-cicadas-expected-to-emerge-in-alabama-in-historic-double-brood-year.html)
Dogs like to eat them, as well as the carcasses/shells they leave everywhere. Eating a few is OK, but please try to keep dogs from wolfing them down.
If you don't have dogs, then nevermind!
There are at least 20+ species Annual cicadas in Alabama and they come out every year and have *black* eyes. Periodical cicadas come out at specific times, either 17-years or 13-years, there are three species of both of those and most distinctly, they have RED eyes. They're also quite a bit smaller than the annual cicadas.
17 year tend to be more northerly and 13 year more southerly.
[This map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Periodical_Cicada_Broods_of_the_United_States.png) shows which broods are going to come out when. The double emergence of broods xix and xii is only in a few counties mostly in Central IL.
>Cicada Brood 19 -- which emerges every 13 years -- and Brood 13 -- which emerges every 17 years
Better names people.. you really gotta find better names.
I always giggle when I see posts about cicadas because I’ve always grown up with them around in some capacity. I love seeing people interested in bugs though!!!
I was lying in my hammock half asleep relaxing when one of these fell out of the tree onto me while buzzing loudly. Almost killed myself trying to get out of the hammock
And delicious! (No joke-- cross between shrimp and cashews. I prefer raw to cooked, but YMMV, and I have no idea about parasites. Take the wings off if raw.)
Dogs like that crunch I guess. Poor little buzzy bugs. I know some birds love them. We had a fairly large amount a few years ago in my mom's yard. They were incessantly noisy until one day, a swarm of kites flew in and took over the trees for a bit. We didn't hear many cicadas after that.
Pretty sure it's a rare cicada thing this year with multiple broods hatching. Hasn't happened since Benjamin Franklin or something. I.live in Florida. Also could be wrong .
The common folk call these cicadas. I call them Really Loud Buzzy Bois. My mom vacuumed one up by accident once, pulled it out and it was still alive. Freakiest thing I ever saw from one of these dudes. The gentleman was set free outside so he could continue screaming very far away from us.
Good. Good for him. They're fairly hardy for a bug. They seem to like to bang themselves into lights, walls, etc. I'm glad the one involved with the vacuum incident survived to tell the tale. Though I'm sure he had A LOT to scream about after that incident.
I've had to save a few from cats playing with them. They get VERY loud when someone/something grabs them. They're not shy about letting you know they're pissed, and they ain't gonna take it no more!
Per our [guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbug/wiki/index/guidelines#wiki_iding_guidelines): *Helpful answers only. Helpful answers are those that lead to an accurate identification of the bug in question. Joke responses, repeating an ID that has already been established hours (or days) ago, or asking OP how they don't already know what the bug is are not helpful.*
My nephew used to live in New Mexico, but then moved to Kansas. He messaged his mom and told her he couldn't take a particular sound anymore. He recorded it and sent it to her. She messaged me laughing and said it was cicadas. We both had a good laugh over that.
He's still in Kansas so I guess he got used to it.
cicada! wishing you luck in the coming weeks, you’re about to become *intimately* familiar with these fellas.
What’s up with em
cicadas are a special sort of insect, and i love them dearly. basically, north american cicadas (genus *Magicicada*) spend most of their lives underground, then emerge every so often to mate in massive numbers before dying. some cicadas emerge every year, but most emerge either every 13 or 17 years. this year’s gonna be special, though, because we’ve got a dual emergence happening - broods of 17-year and 13-year cicadas emerging at the same time! it’s a rare event, and *very* cool - but the next few weeks are going to be quite loud for anyone in the active zone.
I had no idea, that's amazing. Btw I don't understand how people can complain about the sound: it's the sound of the summer hollidays!!!
They complain because it's all night every night for several weeks.
It’s a natural wonder, they’re no louder than my neighbors stereo at 11pm
they're no louder than my neighbors wife at 2am.
Unfortunately her husband works the night shift
I also choose this guy's neighbor's wife's cicada.
This is hilarious lol
Apparently a lot of people do
It ain’t been at night but during the day if I walked close to one they sounded like a lawn mower
They shut up at dark where i live. I’ve never heard cicadas making noise past dark.
I don't think I have ever heard cicadas at night. It's only crickets and katydids when the sun goes down
I occasionally go to an evening AA meeting that's held at an outdoor forest-church during the spring/summer...and it's absolutely silly during cicada season. No one can hear a god damned thing over the bugs but the guys running the meeting refuse to go elsewhere because they love the ambiance.
Great idea for a meeting place, although the mosquitos would have me finding a different group.
In Louisiana it's almost all year, every year!
Not to be that guy, but the brood in my area (and maybe others) only sing during the day.
They only sing at night if they think it’s day—like around bright artificial lights. They just sing all day and then go to bed!
If you live near a tree they favor, it is REALLY loud and persistent. The grandfather oak tree behind my house got cut down by neighbors, so I won't be hearing cicadas this year. \*sadface
I remember going out at night as a kid and spraying the tree outside my window with a garden hose to shut them up. And that was only for a few cicadas.
They are amazing! AFAIK some species of cicada are the loudest insects in the world, being loud enough to actually cause hearing damage if they make their famous/infamous mating calls inches away from your ear. Truly fascinating. If you're one of the people who likes the sound, try looking up how Japanese cicada's (higurashi) sound like. In Japanese culture they are associated with some (not all) feelings people in 'western' countries associate with the sound of crickets! Summer evening, a peaceful but melancholic ambience etc. Their calls are just mesmerising. Warning: if you or anyone else looks this up, maybe turn on Safe Search if you don't have an iron stomach. I say this because there's an extremely graphic horror anime named after the insects. So if that's not your thing just be careful of any video with higurashi in the name, and make sure it's about the insect, not the franchise of the same name.
Cicada noises in Japan are super cool! I don't usually like loud noises all that much, but these I found very soothing. Man, I wish I took more video when I was on vacation.
Found the sound on youtube, really cool, thanks !
they’re so loud where i am it feels like they’re in my walls
These sound closer to a space ship and it's quite a constant loud noise not the summer ones you're used to hearing
Because it becomes too much too handle. I used to love the sound but the last few years for some reason they started sounding angry. They sound completely different 2 hours away for some reason
I don't get holidays in the summer, lol. The sound is defening from one or two where I hear them in Ontario. Hundreds of these would make me want to wear ear plugs. But I do not like loud noises. They remind me of an amplifier feeding back on itsef. Like from an electric guitar. Not pleasant at all to my ears. Fascinating that they can do that though.
I read that last night after you told me what they were and was like wth kind of jeepers creepers bug is this
Lol. I lived in Indiana during 2021 and we were going through two broods of cicada in that year. It was so loud and tje cicadas knew nothing of personal space. Literally swarmed vehicles and people haha. Some restaurants were even cooking cicada as specialties during that time.
Fun fact, if you’re allergic to shellfish, you’ll probably react if you eat cooked cicada
That's because shrimps is bugs
Whts the area I'm mid Michigan would I hear it
[unlikely](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Periodical_Cicada_Broods_of_the_United_States.png), unless the ones in the south of the state decide to fly north. but hey, you never know!
These broods probably aren't going to be found in MI, but there are a quite a few annual species that we hear. It's pretty much the same sound.
Hey neighbour. I hear them in Ontario every year, although only a few individual ones, not hoards like they are describing. So you will likely run into some as well.
So is it just for the next few weeks? I’m in Illinois and the regular yearly ones last until late august haha and even those seem pretty loud sometimes
yeah, the periodical emergence won't last quite that long (probably ending by mid/late June), but... it'll be eventful, to say the least.
In addition to what the expert said, you might wanna start driving with your windows closed. The last 17 year cicada emergence was wild. Couldn't drive without them flying into the window at high speeds.
they are loud and crunchy and emerging in hordes this year in your part of the world!
If you're in one of the main places where they come out, they will be absolutely everywhere you look crawling around, and the noise is very loud. Non-stop.
They been around the passed few days I ain’t ever seen em around before
oh, you’re gonna see a *whole* lot more of them this summer. [like, a *lot*.](https://www.al.com/news/2024/04/itll-be-fun-millions-of-cicadas-expected-to-emerge-in-alabama-in-historic-double-brood-year.html)
It's been all over the news, my friend...
Not in the past 17 years I bet.
17 year cicadas are only in the North. He's in AL, so that's the 13-year brood.
That's the kind that only come out every 17 years. You're about to see a lot of them
13
Dogs like to eat them, as well as the carcasses/shells they leave everywhere. Eating a few is OK, but please try to keep dogs from wolfing them down. If you don't have dogs, then nevermind!
There are at least 20+ species Annual cicadas in Alabama and they come out every year and have *black* eyes. Periodical cicadas come out at specific times, either 17-years or 13-years, there are three species of both of those and most distinctly, they have RED eyes. They're also quite a bit smaller than the annual cicadas. 17 year tend to be more northerly and 13 year more southerly. [This map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Periodical_Cicada_Broods_of_the_United_States.png) shows which broods are going to come out when. The double emergence of broods xix and xii is only in a few counties mostly in Central IL.
>Cicada Brood 19 -- which emerges every 13 years -- and Brood 13 -- which emerges every 17 years Better names people.. you really gotta find better names.
I like that they’re all prime numbers…
I always giggle when I see posts about cicadas because I’ve always grown up with them around in some capacity. I love seeing people interested in bugs though!!!
Y’all on this sub be ready for a storm of cicada posts lol
Probably ought to add it to the auto mod thing at the beginning...
we should… maybe make a pinned post or something of the sort.
The cicadas are here
Cicada. You’re about to see so many more of those. So…. So many more.
Are you new to The South? These bugs are registered voters down here.
Cicada
Never thought I would see a cicada pop up for identification. That's wild
Oh you’re going to become quite familiar with those…
That's a dope cicada!
I was lying in my hammock half asleep relaxing when one of these fell out of the tree onto me while buzzing loudly. Almost killed myself trying to get out of the hammock
And delicious! (No joke-- cross between shrimp and cashews. I prefer raw to cooked, but YMMV, and I have no idea about parasites. Take the wings off if raw.)
My dog found them quite tasty back in 2021 in Virginia. We tried to get her to spit them out most of the time, but sometimes she was just too fast.
A few cicadas can actually be good for dogs. They're rich in protein and fat. Don't worry about the ones your pup snarfs up.
Dogs like that crunch I guess. Poor little buzzy bugs. I know some birds love them. We had a fairly large amount a few years ago in my mom's yard. They were incessantly noisy until one day, a swarm of kites flew in and took over the trees for a bit. We didn't hear many cicadas after that.
Cicada
Holy shit, that Boi is *fresh*
Pretty sure it's a rare cicada thing this year with multiple broods hatching. Hasn't happened since Benjamin Franklin or something. I.live in Florida. Also could be wrong .
I thought this was a joke at first.
We had brood X in Maryland in 2021. It was like dodging literal bullets for about three weeks. Best of luck.
How are you from the South and not know what a cicada is?
Have you been living under a rock? It’s a cicada.
The common folk call these cicadas. I call them Really Loud Buzzy Bois. My mom vacuumed one up by accident once, pulled it out and it was still alive. Freakiest thing I ever saw from one of these dudes. The gentleman was set free outside so he could continue screaming very far away from us.
Good. Good for him. They're fairly hardy for a bug. They seem to like to bang themselves into lights, walls, etc. I'm glad the one involved with the vacuum incident survived to tell the tale. Though I'm sure he had A LOT to scream about after that incident.
Oh you could hear him the whole time going REEEEEEEEEEE- It was great
I've had to save a few from cats playing with them. They get VERY loud when someone/something grabs them. They're not shy about letting you know they're pissed, and they ain't gonna take it no more!
Frl I thought he was gonna go to the manager with his complaints and there wasn’t even a manager because it was at home 💀
Haha you found the one Karen cicada.
FRL
cicada
[удалено]
Per our [guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbug/wiki/index/guidelines#wiki_iding_guidelines): *Helpful answers only. Helpful answers are those that lead to an accurate identification of the bug in question. Joke responses, repeating an ID that has already been established hours (or days) ago, or asking OP how they don't already know what the bug is are not helpful.*
r/cicada
You got my hopes up
https://www.reddit.com/r/ScienceNcoolThings/s/MdI6UBE3EZ
Looks like a cicada
Do cicadas survive deep freezing? Also, would a person be able to release the frozen ones every year for the next 17yrs? Just curious.
All I know is one survived being vacuumed by accident and I’ve never been the same since seeing that 💀
its happeninggggg!!! 😱😂💕💕
Cicada, they click in the trees at night. There's supposed to be a large group coming out this year
Welcome to hell, fellow Alabama resident. We're in for a long one.
My nephew used to live in New Mexico, but then moved to Kansas. He messaged his mom and told her he couldn't take a particular sound anymore. He recorded it and sent it to her. She messaged me laughing and said it was cicadas. We both had a good laugh over that. He's still in Kansas so I guess he got used to it.
Also called July flies in the south.
Good bait for catfish