Though they spend the vast majority of their lives in hiding, cicadas will be all the buzz this spring as they prepare to return to the surface in enormous numbers.
Over the next several weeks, in the spring of 2024, billions (and possibly more than a trillion) of cicadas will emerge from the ground in what some experts are calling “cicada-geddon.” Yet while John Cooley, a biologist at the University of Connecticut, says he’s noticed apprehension about this historic co-emergence, he says it won’t pose any threat to humans or animals.
“Cicadas are a natural part of the ecosystems in the forest,” Cooley says. “These species have a history that goes back millions of years. They don't destroy anything.”
Avoiding the Cicada Emergence
In the face of such large numbers of cicadas, it’s going to be almost impossible to avoid the upcoming emergence, unless you’re willing to flee to the West Coast. Simply put, if you live within the range of either of these broods, the cicadas will be nearly everywhere.
