The Next Wave of 17-Year Cicadas Is About to Party, Scream, and Die

A special brood of cicadas—an ancient lineage of the periodical insects—is set to burst from the soil this May and June, covering more of the United States than any other 17-year brood. These bugs—collectively known as Brood XIV—have been biding their time underground since the last Bush administration, biding their time and counting the years go by. Now they’re back with two goals: Get loud and get laid. This isn’t just any swarm. Brood XIV is considered the original brood, from which all other 17-year cicada broods split off, according to YaleEnvironment360. This is the motherlode of massive, crunchy, droning insects. For a few wild weeks to come, the skies will fill with their raspy mating calls, as the insects rise up simultaneously. The synchronized emergence isn’t just for flair. It’s a numbers game: By surfacing in the billions, cicadas overwhelm their predators—birds, squirrels, snakes, you name it—who are so sated by the plenty that the cicadas’ arrival sends waves through ... Read full article.