It May Sound Like the End of the World in New England With Trillions of These Insects Swarming the Sky

A rare event, one that has not taken place since 1803, is going to happen this year.

Picture a trillion insects all coming out of the ground at once and swarming in the sky...

Creepy, right? Well, it is happening, and it will be loud.

According to a CBS News article, for the first time in hundreds of years, both 13-year-old and 17-year-old cicadas will emerge from the ground at the same time. The last time epic insect swarm took place, Thomas Jefferson was president. Let that sink in.

And it will be LOUD. According to an NBC News article,

The insects are known to emit a high-pitched buzz, or mating song, that can reach up to 100 decibels — roughly equivalent to a motorcycle or jackhammer.

They are the loudest insect in the world. If you have never heard a swarm of cicadas, this is what just one sounds like:

Now imagine a trillion of them at once...

So what is the deal with the trillion of cicadas emerging this year, and will we see them in New England?

Likely not this year, but 2025 for sure.

So this year's cicada swarm will be more south. The 13 and 17-year-olds will emerge starting this April. However, a lot of states will not see or hear them until May or June.

The 2024 swarm will be Midwest-focused, with the cicadas emerging above Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa, and likely even Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

The cicada swarm in New England will take place in 2025 all over New England. However, the bulk of the mating swarm will be in Rhode Island and Cape Cod.

Next year's swarm, the one that will affect New England, will not be as impressive as this rare one taking place in the Midwest in the next week or two.