In April 2024, the cicadas are starting to buzz. Reports of cicada broods emerging in the South of the U.S. are underway. The insect’s signature high-pitched and alarming sound has already led some people to call law enforcement in South Carolina to report a siren-like noise. However, that noise is not a siren, but periodical cicadas.
These cicadas, broods XIX and XII, emerge in cycles of 13 to 17 years. It’s estimated that in 2024, trillions of cicadas will emerge from different states in the Southern U.S. and the Midwest. Although, they won’t all surface at the same time. Here’s all you need to know about the cicadas and their long-awaited emergence.
Why the Cicada Emergence Is Happening
The reason why the cicada emergence is happening is because two cicada broods — a 13-year-old brood called Brood XIX (The Great Southern Brood) and a 17-year-old brood called Brood XII (The Great Northern Illinois Brood) — are coming back at the same time. This happens every 221 years.
