The cicada-pocalypse has begun

Sound the alarm: trillions of periodical cicadas have begun to emerge in the Southeast and Midwest US. However, on second thought, the insects seem to have that sounding thing covered – their initial cries are so loud that some South Carolina residents are calling their local sheriff’s office asking why they can hear sirens or a loud roar.

What’s going on? Two different cicada broods – one that lives on a 13-year cycle, and another that lives on a 17-year cycle – are emerging at the same time this spring, marking a rare synchronized event that last occurred in 1803 (when Thomas Jefferson was president).

Cicadas are notoriously loud, aka the Type-A personalities of the insect world. Their collective songs can clock in at 90 decibels, similar to a loud lawn mower or motorcycle, with scientists who study them often wearing earmuffs to protect their ears.

• Outside of potential hearing damage, however, the insects don’t pose any danger to humans or pets – though up to 10% of cicadas are affected by a fungal STD that turns them into zombies who infect others of the same species.

👀 Looking ahead… While cicadas are already appearing in southern states like South Carolina, where the weather warms up faster, the insects might not show up in cooler Midwest states until June. Upon emerging from the ground, cicadas live for about a month before dying.