Each summer in July and August, the steady buzz of cicadas fills the air across much of the United States. Male cicadas produce this noise in order to attract mates. When dozens of cicadas buzz at once, the sound can be loud, but when millions of them are calling out at once, the sound can be nearly deafening.
Although there are thousands of different species of cicadas, they’re all members of the Cicadidae family of insects. The most common cicadas in America are in the genus Tibicen. They emerge from the ground as nymphs in July and climb into nearby trees to molt. The adult cicada leaves behind its old exoskeleton as it flies off to find a mate, and the empty shells remain clinging to tree trunks and branches.
For a few short weeks, the male cicada’s song can be heard echoing through the trees, but soon after mating, the male cicadas die. The adult females survive a bit longer in order to lay eggs in tiny slits they’ve cut into tree limbs, but then they die as well. Several weeks later, the eggs hatch and the larvae that emerge fall to the ground. They burrow deep into the soil, where they’ll live for the next few years by feeding on juices from tree roots. About three years later, they reemerge as nymphs, and the cycle continues.
Although Tibicen cicadas are more common, the Magicicada genus is the one that makes the news. They emerge in the millions—and sometimes even in the billions—every 13 or 17 years, depending on the brood. In some wooded areas, the swarms are so thick that you can quickly end up with a dozen cicadas clinging to your body. The sound can be so overwhelming that it can be difficult to hold a conversation.
