The United States soon to be overrun by 'zombie creatures' after 17 years underground

No, this isn't a horror movie, but rather a fascinating natural phenomenon. Every 17 years, zombie cicadas reappear in the southern United States. 

On the participatory app Cicada Safari, several reports have been made, indicating the return of so-called "periodical" cicadas. These creatures are expected to emerge from the ground as nymphs, then molt, mate, lay eggs and die, according to the media outlet 20 Minutes. And their reappearance will probably be noisy, with males making a huge racket to attract females. 

Chris Simon, a cicada specialist at the University of Connecticut explains: “Everyone's fascinated by these insects, because you don't see anything for thirteen or seventeen years, and then all of a sudden, your house and car are covered with them. It's a wonderful phenomenon you can show your children, watch them come out of their shells and wonder how they've evolved,” adds the scientist, inviting people to admire them rather than fear them. 

Creatures that mark history

Periodical cicadas, or “cicadas”, are often perceived as “creatures of history”, which permeate certain periods of existence. There's nothing to fear from these insects as they're harmless and don't consume solid food, even as adults. As reported by 20 Minutes, their best defence is their abundance. Periodical cicadas swarm in such large numbers that they satiate predators such as raccoons, foxes, birds, and even turtles, making their role essential in the ecosystem.

It's interesting to note that cicadas are hemipteran insects (like aphids, bed bugs, and stink bugs). Periodical cicadas, reappearing in large numbers every 13 to 17 years, are found only in the eastern United States, with two other unrelated species found in the Fiji Islands and north-east India, according to Chris Simon.

However, caution 

The survival of periodical cicadas is threatened by human activity, leading to the destruction of their natural habitat. With climate change, they're returning 4 years too early or too late, in too small a group to survive, risking long-term threats to the population. 

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: 20 Minutes - Illustration: ©Unsplash)