Noisy cicadas are coming
Authored by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
USA Today among other news outlets reported that noisy cicadas are coming to 13 states soon. Cicadas are insects with an interesting survival strategy. They hibernate for several years, then all hatch at the same time over a several day period — billions and billions of them. This means that birds, lizards and other predators including spiders and small mammals who might eat them can’t eat them all, and the species survives. Cicadas mate and lay their eggs during their short lifespan. Then, the eggs hatch into nymphs which then go underground to feed on tree roots. Depending on the species, they patiently wait their turn for another 13-17 years until they emerge.
The 13 states are in the eastern part of the United States, approximately from Massachusetts to Georgia. I heard cicadas when I was growing up in New Jersey, but not in Los Angeles. I didn’t think there were cicadas here, but the University of California says there are, although not in the vast quantities in other parts of the country. And yes, they are loud.
I couldn’t find a scientific article specifying the decibel level of cicada noise. A link to a webpage from the National Institute of Health’s Lonely Planet website was no longer operative. Several news reports, though, stated that cicada noise can reach 100-120 decibels. That’s loud enough to bother people, disrupt thought and cause stress. Some people are frightened by the cicadas, which can reach 2 inches in length and have large red eyes, but they are harmless. Others like them. Some even eat them!
I’ve written in several papers that loud sounds are rare in nature, and that humans and our animal forbearers evolved in quiet. The National Park Service noise maps show that, but every several years, a brood of cicadas are the exception that proves the rule.
I often conclude my blog posts with the tag line that, “A quieter world will be a better and healthier world for all.” But, not for cicadas trying to find mates. Fortunately for those of us sensitive to noise, this doesn’t happen every year.
