"Upcoming Cicada Emergence: What You Need to Know"

Billions of cicadas are set to emerge this spring in a rare "double brood emergence" as two different broods, one appearing every 13 years and the other every 17 years, emerge simultaneously in the United States. The insects, known as periodical cicadas, are harmless but will be loud and numerous. The emergence is expected to occur in parts of the Midwest and Southeast, and while the two broods' geographic ranges may potentially overlap in some areas, a major overlap is unlikely. Scientists encourage people to embrace this rare natural phenomenon and participate in community science apps to help study and track the cicadas.