1 trillion cicadas set to invade Southeast, Midwest
Summary
TLDRA massive emergence of cicadas is taking place in the Southeast and Midwest of the United States, with an estimated one trillion insects appearing over the next month. This unusual event is due to two different breeds, one emerging every 13 years and the other every 17 years, coinciding this year for the first time in over two centuries. While the cicadas are causing a stir and their noise can be as loud as a lawnmower or a jet, they are harmless to humans and pets. Experts suggest that using bug spray is ineffective and potentially harmful to other beneficial insects. Instead, homeowners can protect their trees by netting or using a leaf blower to remove the cicadas. Interestingly, cicadas are beneficial to the environment as they aerate the soil and their decomposition provides nutrients.
Takeaways
- 🎶 The sound of cicadas has disturbed people's sleep due to their emergence in large numbers.
- 🐛 A trillion cicadas are invading parts of the Southeast and Midwest, attributed to two different breeds emerging simultaneously.
- 📈 This double emergence is a rare event that hasn't occurred in over 200 years.
- 🌳 Cicadas are known to cause a stir and are particularly attracted to certain tree sizes for laying their eggs.
- 🌡️ The noise produced by male cicadas searching for mates can be as loud as a lawn mower or a passing jet.
- 🚫 The noise level from cicadas can potentially exceed safety levels set by OSHA.
- 🏠 Homeowners are advised to use netting to protect young trees from cicada damage.
- 🌲 Cicadas are beneficial to the environment as they aerate the soil and their decomposition provides nutrients.
- 🎉 Despite being a nuisance, cicadas are harmless to humans and pets.
- 🔍 If you haven't experienced a cicada invasion yet, netting young trees is a preventative measure.
- 🌬️ For a quick solution, a leaf blower can be used to remove cicadas from your property.
Q & A
What is the cause of the cicada invasion in the southeast and midwest regions?
-The invasion is due to two different breeds of cicadas, one emerging every 13 years and the other every 17 years, emerging at the same time this year, which is a rare occurrence not seen in over 200 years.
How many cicadas are expected to emerge during this invasion?
-Experts predict more than a trillion cicadas will emerge, which is enough to line end to end and reach the moon and back 33 times.
What is the impact of cicadas on the environment?
-Cicadas are actually beneficial to the environment as they aerate the soil when they emerge and their bodies, when they die off, provide nutrients for the soil, acting as a natural fertilizer.
How can homeowners protect their young trees from cicadas?
-Homeowners can use netting, such as cheesecloth or tobacco cloth, to cover and protect branches from nesting cicadas. They can also use a sheet to cover the trees.
What is the duration of the cicadas' stay above ground?
-The cicadas are expected to be above ground for about four to six weeks during their emergence.
Why are the cicadas so loud?
-The male cicadas are making noise to find a mate, and their collective chorus can be as loud as a lawn mower or a passing jet.
How can the noise from cicadas be potentially harmful?
-The noise level from the cicadas can potentially be harmful as it can exceed levels that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) would consider safe in some areas.
What advice is given for dealing with a backyard full of cicadas?
-Experts suggest not using bug spray as it is ineffective and harmful to other insects. Instead, netting is recommended to protect trees, and a leaf blower can be used for a quick cleanup.
How often do the two breeds of cicadas mentioned in the script emerge?
-One breed of cicada emerges every 13 years and the other every 17 years.
What is the significance of the double emergence of cicadas this year?
-The double emergence of cicadas is significant because it is a rare event that has not occurred since the days of Thomas Jefferson over 200 years ago.
What is the impact of cicadas on Jerry Blankenship's nursery business?
-Jerry Blankenship, who grows 200,000 trees at his nursery, is concerned about the potential damage from cicadas nesting on his young trees.
What are some practical steps that can be taken to mitigate cicada damage to trees?
-Practical steps include using netting to cover young trees, ensuring the holes in the netting are small to prevent cicadas from crawling out, and keeping the trees wrapped for a couple of weeks until mid-June.
How do cicadas affect the local wildlife and pets?
-Cicadas are harmless to humans and pets, despite their large numbers and the inconvenience they may cause.
Outlines
🎶 Cicada Invasion: The Sonic Boom of Summer 🎶
The video script introduces a massive emergence of cicadas in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States. Two different breeds of cicadas, one that surfaces every 13 years and another every 17 years, are emerging simultaneously, an event not witnessed for over two centuries. The reporter, Kathy Park, discusses the phenomenon known as 'Cicadas-geddon,' highlighting the bugs' considerable numbers—predicted to be over a trillion—which could stretch to the moon and back 33 times if lined up end to end. The cicadas' loud mating calls are compared to the noise of a lawnmower or a passing jet, and their chorus has become so loud that residents in Newberry County, South Carolina, have reported the noise to local authorities. Despite the nuisance, cicadas are harmless to humans and pets, and are even beneficial to the environment as their decomposition provides nutrients to the soil. The script offers advice on how to protect young trees from nesting cicadas using netting and suggests using a leaf blower for a quick cleanup. The segment emphasizes the cicadas' temporary stay and their role in the ecosystem, likening their contribution to free fertilizer for the soil.
🌳 Leaf Blower: A Quick Fix for Cicada Swarms 🌳
The second paragraph of the script briefly touches on an alternative solution for dealing with the overwhelming number of cicadas. It suggests using a leaf blower as an efficient method to clear away the cicadas from affected areas. This quick fix is presented as a practical and straightforward approach for those who have not yet experienced the cicada invasion and are seeking immediate relief from the swarming insects.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cicadas
💡Emergence
💡Cicada broods
💡Trillion cicadas
💡Nursery Capital of the World
💡Netting
💡Cicada song
💡Ecosystem benefits
💡Lawn blower
💡Cicada invasion
💡Cicada-geddon
Highlights
Cicadas are emerging in large numbers in parts of the Southeast and Midwest, with up to a trillion of them invading over the next month.
This is due to two different breeds of cicadas emerging at the same time this year, something not seen in over 200 years.
Cicadas are causing a stir everywhere they land, taking over backyards and trees.
One cicada group emerges every 13 years, while another emerges every 17 years. This month, a rare double emergence is expected.
Experts predict over a trillion cicadas will emerge, enough to line end to end from the Earth to the moon and back 33 times.
Nursery owner Jerry Blankenship is concerned about the damage cicadas can cause to his 200,000 young trees.
Cicadas prefer to lay their eggs on soft, certain-sized twigs or branches.
Homeowners can use netting like cheesecloth or tobacco cloth to protect tree branches from nesting cicadas.
Cicadas will be around for 4-6 weeks, using a loud mating call that can be as loud as a lawnmower or passing jet.
The noise from the cicadas' chorus can potentially be harmful, exceeding OSHA's safe noise levels in some areas.
Residents in Newberry County, South Carolina are reporting the loud cicada noise to the sheriff.
While they may be a nuisance, cicadas are harmless to humans and pets.
Cicadas are actually beneficial for the environment, aerating the soil when they emerge and providing nutrients when they die.
Using bug spray on cicadas is not effective and can harm other beneficial insects.
Netting is a good option to protect young trees from cicadas if you haven't experienced an invasion yet.
A quick fix to remove cicadas is using a leaf blower to blow them away.
Transcripts
♪
♪
>>> IF YOU WERE RATTLED OUT OF
BED THIS MORNING BY THE SOUND OF
CICADAS, YOU WERE NOT ALONE.
THE CREEPY, CRAWLY BUGS ARE JUST
STARTING TO EMERGE, AND THERE
ARE A LOT OF THEM, IF YOU
HAVEN'T NOTICED, AS MANY AS A
TRILLION CICADAS ARE INVADING
PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST AND
MIDWEST OVER THE NEXT MONTH
THANKS TO TWO DIFFERENT BREEDS
EMERGING AT THE SAME TIME THIS
YEAR.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT
SEEN IN MORE THAN 200 YEARS.
LUCKY US.
KATHY PARK HAS OUR "SUNDAY
FOCUS."
>> Reporter: CICADAS-GEDDON HAS
ARRIVED AND THEY ARE NOT FLYING
QUIETLY UNDER THE RADAR.
>> THERE ARE THOUSANDS.
>> Reporter: INSTEAD, THEY'RE
CAUSING A STIR EVERYWHERE THEY
LAND.
>> DON'T GET TOO CREEPED OUT BY
THEM.
SHE GETS CREEPED OUT BY THEM.
>> Reporter: FROM GEORGIA --
>> THE 13-YEAR CICADASES ARE IN.
>> Reporter: TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
>> IS ANYBODY ELSE IN THE
SOUTH --
>> Reporter: WHERE THEY'RE
TAKING OVER BACK YARDS.
>> THEY'RE EVERYWHERE AND THEY
SEEM TO REALLY LIKE OUR GAZEBO.
I'M NOT SURE WHY.
>> Reporter: IT MIGHT SEEM BAD
NOW, BUT JUST WAIT.
TWO CICADAS BROODS WILL WARM THE
MIDWEST TO THE SOUTH, ONE GROUP
CRAWLS OUT FROM THE GROUND EVERY
13 YEARS.
THE OTHER, 17 YEARS.
THIS MONTH WE'RE EXPECTING A
RARE DOUBLE EMERGENCE, SOMETHING
WE HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE THE DAYS
OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
EXPERTS PREDICT MORE THAN A
TRILLION BUGS TO EMERGE, LINED
END TO END, ENOUGH CICADAS TO
REACH THE MOON AND BACK 33
TIMES.
ROUGHLY 75 MILES OUTSIDE OF
NASHVILLE, THE NURSERY CAPITAL
OF THE WORLD.
>> HERE WE HAVE A TARGET RICH
ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO TRY TO
LAY THEIR EGGS.
>> Reporter: AND THESE YOUNG
TREES ARE VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE
FROM NESTING CICADAS.
JERRY BLANKENSHIP GROWS 200,000
TREES AT HIS NURSERY, AND THESE
BUGS KEEP HIM UP AT NIGHT.
>> THEY REALLY LIKE SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS SIZE RIGHT HERE.
MOST OF THE TIME THEY GO FOR
SOMETHING THAT'S RELATIVELY
SOFT, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A
CERTAIN SIZE TWIG OR BRANCH TO
LAY THEIR EGGS ON.
>> Reporter: HOMEOWNERS MAY WANT
TO CONSIDER NETTING AS A WAY TO
PROTECT BRANCHES.
>> YOU CAN GET CHEESECLOTH OR
TOBACCO CLOTH.
LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD ACTUALLY
HAVE A SHEET AND LAY IT OVER IT.
>> Reporter: BUT AS THEY STICK
AROUND FOR THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX
WEEKS, DON'T EXPECT THE CICADAS
TO TURN DOWN THE VOLUME AS THE
MALES USE THEIR SIREN SONG TO
FIND A MATE.
>> SO THE MALES ARE MAKING THE
NOISE, AND IT'S A LITTLE BITTY
BUZZ LIKE A KID'S TOY ALMOST.
>> Reporter: BUT THEIR
COLLECTIVE CHORUS CAN BE AS LOUD
AS A LAWN MOWER OR PASSING JET.
>> THE NOISE LEVEL COULD
POTENTIALLY BE HARMFUL.
IT CAN EXCEED LEVELS THAT OSHA
WOULD CONSIDER SAFE IN SOME
AREAS.
>> Reporter: IT'S ALREADY
GETTING SO LOUD IN NEWBERRY
COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA,
RESIDENTS ARE REPORTING THE
NOISE TO THE SHERIFF.
>> WE HAD A LEAP YEAR.
WE HAD AN ECLIPSE.
NOW WE HAVE CICADAS EVERYWHERE.
>> Reporter: THEY MIGHT BE A
NUISANCE, BUT THEY'RE HARMLESS
TO HUMANS AND PETS.
THEY'RE CRAWLING ALL OVER.
DOES THAT SCARE YOU.
>> A LITTLE.
AND IT TICKLES.
>> Reporter: MANY WILL BE
BLANKETED WITH BUGS, SO GET
READY FOR THE FREE CONCERT FROM
YOUR NEW NEIGHBORS.
>> AND KATHY JOINS ME NOW LIVE
AND WE HOPE CICADA-FREE.
IF YOU DO HAVE A BUNCH OF THESE
CICADAS IN YOUR BACKYARD, BEYOND
EAR PLUGS, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
>> Reporter: YEAH.
HEY, JOE, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
THAT'S RIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, TAKE A DEEP BREATH
BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
BUT EXPERTS SAY THAT YOU SHOULD
PROBABLY KEEP THE BUG SPRAY
AWAY, BECAUSE CICADAS ARE
ACTUALLY GOOD FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT AND THE SPRAY WILL
JUST BE USELESS BECAUSE THERE
ARE WAY TOO MANY CICADAS OUT
THERE, AND THE CHEMICALS MIGHT
KILL OFF THE GOOD INSECTS.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JOE, CICADAS,
AS I MENTIONED, GOOD FOR OUR
ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE THEY AERORATE
THE SOIL WHEN THEY COME OUT OF
THE GROUND.
WHEN THEY DIE OFF AND THEIR
BODIES BREAK DOWN, IT'S ACTUALLY
NUTRIENTS FOR THE SOIL.
THINK OF IT AS FREE FERTILIZER.
IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD THIS
INVASION, THIS SWARM OF CICADAS
JUST YET, SOMETHING TO KEEP IN
MIND AS YOU HEARD IN THE STORY,
NETTING IS PROBABLY A GOOD
OPTION FOR YOU.
I'M HOLDING TULLE, BALLET TUTUS
ARE MADE OUT OF, TO COVER UP
YOUNG TREES.
THE HOLES SHOULD BE SMALL
BECAUSE CICADAS CAN CRAWL OUT
AND KEEP THE TREES WRAPPED UP
FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, PROBABLY
UNTIL MID-JUNE.
IF YOU WANT A QUICK FIX, JOE,
ANOTHER GREAT OPTION, A LEAF
BLOWER, BLOW IT ALL AWAY.
GET THE JOB DONE.
>> I LOVE THAT.
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