We’re already calling what the sound of the summer is going to be. No, it’s not a hot new album or a trending TikTok audio — it’s thousands of screaming cicadas.

If you live in the South, Northeast or Midwest, there are going to be cicadas in your area. They don’t just want to meet you, they want to cover your trees and lawn with discarded exoskeletons, scream all night and then perish in gross piles. Did you know that at 90+ decibels, cicada buzzing can actually be louder than traffic or about as loud as a lawnmower? If you didn’t, you might be about to find out first-hand.

Will your lawn (and beauty rest) be impacted by the impending bug swarm? There’s a handy map to find out. But to understand the map, first you need some background. There are two kinds of cicadas: annual and periodical. Annual cicadas emerge every summer. Periodical cicadas spend most of their lifecycle underground and only emerge every 13 or every 17 years. They are classified into different broods.

This summer is Brood XIV’s time to shine/scream. The second-biggest of all the periodical cicada groups, they’re known as the “Great(er) Eastern Brood” and last emerged 17 years ago in 2008.

Where will the cicadas be?

Now that we know all about cicadas, how do you tell if Brood XIV will be coming to a tree near you? The University of Connecticut has created an interactive map to track cicada sightings. Cicada symbols show where the presence of Brood XIV has been confirmed. Red circles show confirmed absences. The scientists also describe four primary areas Brood XIV will be active:

  • A large, central patch extending from northeast Georgia to southern Ohio
  • A smaller patch in central Pennsylvania
  • Long Island
  • Cape Cod

Areas outside of these main zones may still see (and hear) the cicadas, so check the map to see if they’ve been spotted in your area.

When will they emerge?

In warmer states, cicadas come out in late April or May. In cooler states, you're more likely to see them in May or early June. They will stick around for about 4-6 weeks after first emerging from underground.

When will it get loud? The UConn resources note that when it comes to the cicada chorus, "the serious noise will get going about a week and half after you first notice them and will last about two weeks more."

How many cicadas will there be?

According to the UConn scientists, periodical cicadas can achieve a density of up to 1.5 million cicadas per acre — although “densities of tens to hundreds of thousands per acre are more common,” the website says. That's a lot of bugs!

I survived the 2013 swarm of Brood II cicadas in suburban New Jersey, and I have to say: It was horrendous. Cicadas coated every surface. There was barely enough space to put your foot down on the driveway without stepping on one. They died in big heaps, like piles of leaves in the fall. The smell of rotting bugs filled the air. Although the 17-year lifecycle of a cicada is scientifically interesting, it's pretty off-putting in person.

If you are going to be in the epicenter of the Brood XIV emergence this summer, all I can say is good luck and close the windows. One bright side? When it’s over, this brood will stay gone for another 17 years. Don’t forget your earplugs!

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Sarah Vincent (she/her) covers the latest and greatest in books and all things pets for Good Housekeeping. She double majored in Creative Writing and Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago, where she sat in the front row for every basketball game. In her spare time, she loves cooking, crafting, studying Japanese, and, of course, reading.