(NewsNation Now) — Billions of Brood X cicadas are getting ready to wake up from their 17-year nap in 15 states across the country, from New York to Illinois to Maryland.
“Brood” refers to the group of cicadas, and the X is the Roman numeral 10.
If you’ve forgotten what’s in store as the burrowed bugs peak out for some sun, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) suggests you keep two things handy: earplugs and an umbrella.
Yes, an umbrella.
“Cicadas are clumsy fliers and have been known to fly into people or objects that cross their paths,” an NPMA news release said. They could fly into your hair or your home.
The earplugs will come in handy if you get sick of their constant singing, which can get as loud as 100 decibels. That’s the same as a lawn mower.
While the 17-year tradition can be annoying, it shouldn’t last more than a few weeks. Experts predict they’ll start popping out of the ground in April or May.
To get you through, NPMA suggests avoiding the outdoors during the afternoons. They say cicadas are least active in the morning and night when it’s cooler.
And it could be worse, or at least, it could be weirder. Last summer researchers noticed cicadas in West Virginia had become infected with a fungus that made them zombies. We’re expecting normal cicadas this spring.