‘Cicada-geddon’ is here! Here’s what you need to know about the noisy creatures in north Georgia

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read
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The sound of summer in the South has arrived. Noisy cicadas have been emerging in north Georgia and billions more will be coming out of the ground in states to the north.

Two broods of periodical cicadas are emerging out of the ground and looking to reproduce.

They start to emerge once the soil temperature reaches about 64 degrees.

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Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz sat down with UGA agricultural climatologist Pam Knox who says the bugs don’t sting or bite.

“They’re a little annoying if you have a lot, but they’re not going to hurt you,” Knox described. “They’re large and they make a very loud racket.”

Some homeowners say they’re so loud, they had to check to make sure nothing else was wrong.

During the brood in 2021, the cicadas made so much noise in Union County made so much noise that people mistook it for alarms.

Emergency management officials say they’ve been flooded with 911 calls about the bugs, which aren’t necessary.

Some on the opposite end of the spectrum have even started making cicada snack recipes from chips to popcorn to cookies.

“I’m not quite that brave. But some people have tried that,” said Knox.

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Cicadas also tend to like hardwood trees.

“For most trees, it’s not going to be an issue for some very young trees or fruit-bearing trees that you want fruit from this year. That could be a short-term issue this year,” Ian Williams from Orkin said.

Williams also says that you could see more birds and snakes in your yard since cicadas are a good food source for them.

The periodical cicadas should be around for a few more weeks.

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