Is “Cicadageddon” Coming To Western New York?

Spring is here, and it’s the time of year we typically say hello to our noisy friends, the cicadas. The cicada’s piercing, “singing” sound has invaded summer nights in Western New York in recent years, with some finding the sound relaxing, but driving most of us crazy. 

When we heard the news that a historic “cicada explosion” would be hitting the U.S. this summer, we immediately started to panic. How loud was it going to get in Western New York, and will we ever get a good night’s sleep again?

Here’s what you need to know. 

"Cicadageddon" Is Coming Summer 2024

Is that the title of a new summer blockbuster movie? Oh boy, we wish.

For the first time in over 200 years, two different types of periodical cicadas, Brood XIX which comes out every 13 years, and Brood XIX which emerges every 17, will be squirming their way out of the dirt between now and the end of June. This will cause billions or even trillions of them, about 1 million per acre, to infest areas across 15 states. 

READ MORE: That’s Not Rain: How Cicada Pee Will Shower The U.S.

Although cicadas are harmless and not a danger to humans or animals, they are LOUD, and that many of them making noise at once will potentially create a massive racket. 

Not to mention that once cicadas are done screeching (uh, we mean singing), eating, mating, and laying eggs, they die, leaving tons of dead cicadas littering the ground and waiting for you to accidentally smoosh them with your flip flops. Gross. 

Will Historic Cicada Influx Reach Western New York?

 Anyone who remembers the huge amount of cicadas that came out in our area in 2021 knows that it’s not fun. Thankfully, it looks like this summer is going to be a quiet one in Western New York.

This year, the Buffalo area will escape “cicadageddon,” instead leaving the crazy phenomenon to mostly Midwest states (seriously, if you live in Missouri or Illinois, I’d seriously consider moving away for the month). In fact, according to the website Cicada Mania, Western New York won’t be seeing a periodical cicada brood emerge until the year 2030. Phew! 

Now, this doesn’t mean we’ll be getting through the summer cicada-free. There are still several different types of “annual” cicadas that pop out every year, so we still will have some noisy nights in and around Buffalo. But thankfully, there won’t be so many of them that they’ll make our ears bleed. 

READ MORE: Chef Wants New Yorkers To Feast On Cicadas This Spring