The Next Invasion is Arriving Any Time Now — They Are Calling Them Brood X
As many of us prepare to emerge from our lengthy isolation, so are the 17-year cicadas
--
It’s not as horrifying as it sounds. It’s not like World War Z, an apocalyptic horror fiction depicting a great zombie war by the author Max Brooks. The only characteristic these creatures share with zombies is they crawl out from the underground after years of waiting for their time to rise.
Brood X, in this case, represents the Roman numeral for 10 in this designation for what will soon be the emergence from the earth, trillions of these ugly, deafening insects across at least fifteen U.S. states. Many homeowners will be sweeping their discarded husks and dried carcasses from their lawns and patios in the weeks ahead.
The largest concentration will be in the midwest and southern states — from Indiana to New York. According to a recent article in The Guardian, These creatures have already begun clawing their way to the surface in mass numbers across Tennessee and North Carolina.
This particular brood is projected to be one of the largest and most noticeable in years. I live in northern Illinois, a suburb about thirty miles northwest of Chicago. We have cicadas every year, but nothing of what this year is said to bring. They are definitely loud in the late afternoon until dusk.
At times they are deafening to the point where we need to shut out their incessant drones by closing the windows. It’s always the same pattern. It begins with one or two of them buzzing high up in the trees somewhere. These are the males who do all the singing. It’s their love call to a mate.
A larger chorus soon accompanies them. Before long, the decibel level increases; it’s as if every cicada in town has joined in. Like mini chainsaws. It builds to a climactic crescendo. And then slowly recedes to near silence again. And the cycle starts over again.
I recall hearing from some who’ve moved away to other regions where cicadas don’t reside, comment on how they miss the sound, how it reminds them of lazy summer evenings. I can’t relate. I suppose these are the same people who miss the snow when they move to places like Florida. I…
