There are some sounds that have become all too familiar to Virginians. Perhaps it’s the sound of crashing waves at the beach. Or the peaceful serenade of crickets in the summertime. This year, you’ll want to prepare your ears for yet another unmistakable sound: the drone of cicadas. While the buzzing of cicadas might not be the most comforting of Virginia’s familiar noises, it does evoke something of a sense of nostalgia for summers past. Here’s more on why 2020 promises to be an especially memorable year for cicadas:

It's that time of year again. The cicadas are preparing to emerge from underground and seemingly overtake the natural world in buzzes and drones that are impossible to ignore.
Bill Koplitz / Getty Images
Fortunately, cicadas are perfectly harmless creatures that have a beneficial role to play in our eco-system. They aerate the soil and prune mature trees throughout the region. However, you could be forgiven for finding them to be a bit of a nuisance.
Carl & Ann Purcell / Getty Images
Depending on the species, cicadas can live underground for two to seventeen years. Once they've matured, they'll appear, shed their skin, and begin looking for a mate to complete the cycle.
Cameron Davidson / Getty Images

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The mating process is notoriously loud, as the males sing to attract the attention of the females.
Brian McConnell / flickr
There is a variety of cicada life cycles, which is why these critters appear every year in Virginia. Annual cicadas are green, while periodical cicadas are more of a reddish-brown.
Yamanaka Tamaki / flickr
This year's emergence will include annual cicadas as well as Brood IX periodical cicadas. Areas that will experience these cicadas are North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
pelican / flickr
The last time this particular brood emerged was in 2003.
Scientists predict that the emergence will begin in mid-May, depending on temperatures. The cicadas tend to emerge with the soil reaches a temperature of approximately 64 degrees F.
Jason Means / flickr

What are your thoughts on these cicadas? Be sure to share with us in the comments below! For more information about cicadas, you can refer to CicadaMania.

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