MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Starting in May, 2024, Americans will be witness to a once in a lifetime event, and a noisy at that.
Not one, but two different sets of cicadas are getting ready to emerge across the country. One set comes out every 13 years to mate and lay eggs, the other comes out every 17 years.
This overlap does not happen too often, and will not happen again for another two centuries.
“It’s not something you’re going to miss,” said Blake Layton, Mississippi State University's Entomology Specialist, “They’re so noisy and they’re so many, that you can’t overlook them.”
The cicadas will be so loud, the noise could come in close to 120 decibels, which according to the Hearing Center of Excellence, can be as loud as a rock concert or a hammer pounding a nail.
“I’ve heard of people [talk about] having to cancel or reschedule outdoor weddings,” said Layton.
Those in the Mid-South wanting to hear the rare event will have to travel elsewhere, which may be good news to others wanting peace and quiet.
Maps from the University of Connecticut show both the 13 and 17-year cicadas will emerge to mate in areas outside the Mid-South. If you really want to experience the phenomenon, a path to Central Illinois will likely be your best bet.
“Where in the South part of the state, they’re going to have 13-year cicadas, and in the North part of the state they’re going to have this brood of 17-year," said Layton, "So for them that’s an unusual event that only happens for another 221 years.”
If you are in the path of cicadas, you might notice an increase in dead branches on trees. Those will only be temporary and any kind of potential damage could be limited to small decorative trees or orchards, but you can always put a net over a tree to protect them from the insect.
