Billions Of Cicadas: Are The Bugs Swarming The East Coast Dangerous? [VIDEO]

By Philip Ross | April 8, 2013 2:17 PM EDT

Cicadas are about the size of a large paperclip and produce a loud buzzing sound to attract mates. This spring, the air will be filled with the hum of the cicada, as billions of the bugs are about to invade the East Coast of the U.S. (Photo: Creative Commons)

Billions of cicadas will rise from the ground and swarm the northeastern U.S. this spring. The billions of cicadas have been buried in the soil for almost two decades, living off the juices from plant roots. Soon, they will sprout from the soil, throng the trees, and produce their extremely loud buzzing sound – which can be heard up to a mile away and sounds like the hum of power lines – as part of their mating ritual.

The Epoch Times reports that after a week or so of mating, the billions of cicadas will shed their final skin and fly off. Will the billions of cicadas coming to the northeastern corner of the U.S. cause any problems, and are they dangerous?

The billions of cicadas about to invade the Northeast are called Brood II cicadas and emerge from their underground nests every 17 years. This latest generation is the offspring of the 1996 cicada invasion. According to National Geographic, cicadas, which are about the length of a large paper clip, burrow in the ground after hatching and live off of the roots of plants for many, many years. They have stout bodies, large heads, clear wings and large eyes. They are located throughout the northeastern corner of the U.S. from North Carolina to New England.

While the exact timing of the cicada invasion is unknown, the Wildlife Conservation Society predicts that the billions of cicada will be here sometime between mid-April and late May. In order for them to emerge, the ground must reach a temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Yahoo News.

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