Every decade or two, a swarm of large red-eyed bugs descends on humankind.

Graber-Stiehl I. To study swarming cicadas, it takes a crowd. Science. 2021;372(6546):1022–1023.

While it may sound like a horror movie, the mass invasion of cicadas is simply part of nature. These creatures wake up, feed, lay their eggs, and die within a short timespan.

This year’s cicadas are already taking over parts of the Midwest and Southeast. Luckily, they’ll only be around for about a month until their lifeless bodies clutter the ground they once ruled.

If you’re located somewhere in their path, primarily midwestern and southeastern states, here’s how to get through the impending plague with your sanity intact.

What’s so exceptional about this year?

There are several species of cicadas that usually emerge at different times, but this year, two species are due to wake up simultaneously.

The Great Southern Brood's (Brood XIX) 13-year cycle and the Northern Illinois Brood's (Brood XIII) 17-year cycle are aligned for a mass emergence of about 1 trillion cicadas.

Rosenholm G. Here come the cicadas! U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. April 29, 2024.

Affected areas include parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Potential health impacts

Cicadas produce a high-pitch buzzing sound that can be profound when magnified in such great numbers. The emergence of so many cicadas is more than just an annoyance—the noise may keep people awake at night and disrupt daily activities. In fact, the incessant buzzing is loud enough to overpower jet planes flying overhead.

For those with hearing issues like tinnitus, or auditory sensitivity due to autism spectrum disorder, the noise can be overwhelming.

Dee JE. Preparing people who are sound-sensitive for noisy cicadas. Yale School of Public Health. April 25, 2024.

Wearing headphones or earplugs and staying indoors are reasonable protective actions. In addition, some children with autism may benefit from creatively told stories to prepare them for the impending onslaught of noise. Reassurance that it’s temporary may also help ease the anxiety.

The NIOSH Sound Level Meter App can track noise levels with exacting precision using any iOS device. Plus, the app has been tested and validated by acoustic engineers and hearing loss experts. 

At the end of the day (or the cicadas’ lifecycle), it may be reassuring to know that the cicada sounds are fleeting and won’t be a burden throughout your entire summer break.