--- title: "One Trillion Bugs With Bulging Eyes Set to Invade a Third of the United States, Experts Say" description: "For the first time in centuries, two separate regional \"broods\" of cicadas are set to arise and invade parts of the United States." date: "2024-04-05" modified: "2024-04-05" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/trillion-cicada-invasion-2024" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "cicadas" - "entomology" - "insects" - "the digest" --- # One Trillion Bugs With Bulging Eyes Set to Invade a Third of the United States, Experts Say ![For the first time in centuries, two separate regional "broods" of cicadas are set to arise and invade parts of the United States.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Bugging Out For the first time in centuries, two separate regional "broods" of cicadas are set to arise and invade parts of the United States, with experts saying that up to a trillion — yes, that's "trillion" with a "t" — of the screeching insects may descend upon the unsuspecting populace. As the [*New York Times* reports](), the end of April will bring the activation of Brood XIX, or the "Great Southern Brood," and Brood XIII, the "Northern Illinois Brood" — an intersection that last struck in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson was still president. Roughly 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest will soon play host to this rare drama, which according to the *NYT* [differs in scale]() from the regular cicada cycles folks in those states are used to experiencing every year. For most people who connote cicada song with lazy, sepia-toned summer days, the thought of a trillion-strong cicada invasion seems about as unlikely as an [earthquake rocking New York City](). As a third of the country is soon going to find out, however, these creepy crawlies are pretty freaky-looking up close. ![Cicada held in boy's hand]() *Image via Getty.* ## Emergent Species With a wingspan ranging between two to three inches and a body the size of two adult thumbs, Brood X, of which both the Northern Illinois and Great Southeastern cicadas hail, is according to the University of Connecticut's [incredibly-detailed cicada research site]() among the largest of these bugs' broods due to its sheer size. This year's "emergence," as [UConn refers to it](), will allow those in the affected regions to see all seven of the [named cicada species](), which are taxonomically segregated by gender and include names such as *tredecim*, *cassini*, and *septendecula*. Despite some geographic overlap between parts of the Southeast and Midwest, the school's cicada experts say there likely won't be any cross-mingling between Broods XIX and XIII, except for a bit of "co-occurrence" in the woods. For this reason, there likely won't be any instances of "double" densities, which hopefully means that the ground won't be doubly full of cicada carcasses once they start singing during the late spring and early summer. Despite the lack of double-dipping, however, one expert told the *NYT* that there are going to be way, way more cicadas than usual — and used a striking metaphor to illustrate the point. Indeed, as Smithsonian Museum of National History entomologist and collections manager Floyd W. Shockley told the newspaper, one trillion inch-long cicadas could cover 15,782,828 if placed end-to-end. "That cicada train," Shockley continued, "would reach to the Moon and back 33 times." **More on rare occurrences:** [*Scientists Surprised to Find Mushroom Growing Out of Frog*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()