Brace yourself, Georgia -- the cicadas are coming (again)!

ATLANTA - Does this sound familiar? That eerie, deafening summer buzz? Well, get ready—because Georgia is about to get loud. Millions of red-eyed, buzzing cicadas from Brood XIV are crawling out of the ground after 17 years of living the underground life.

What we know:

These periodical cicadas, last seen in 2008, are making their grand return to Georgia and 12 other states this spring, according to Weather.com. Their emergence will be triggered by warm rain and soil temperatures reaching 64 degrees Fahrenheit about 8 inches below the surface—so expect to see them popping up anytime between mid-April and mid-May. First, they’ll appear in sunny spots, and then they’ll take over the shade.

Meet Your Noisy Neighbors

These cicadas aren’t just any old bugs; Brood XIV is one of the largest broods out there, according to CicadaMania.com. Sporting bright red eyes, black heads, and transparent wings with orange accents, they look like tiny Halloween decorations that never got put away. They love vertical surfaces, so expect to see them clinging to trees, buildings, and maybe even your porch furniture.

What they're saying:

CicadaMania says the heaviest concentrations in Georgia will be in Fannin, Lumpkin, Rabun, and Union counties. Once they emerge, they’ll spend four to six weeks doing what cicadas do best—shedding their exoskeletons, making a lot of noise, and frantically mating before disappearing until 2041.

And yes, we won’t see quite as many cicadas as we did in 2024’s rare dual emergence, but don’t worry—you will definitely see and hear them.

But don't we have cicadas every year?

Yes, we do. However, those are annual cicadas. In fact, there are MANY kinds of annual cicadas. Here's a list: Southern Grass Cicada, Olympic Scub Cicada, Northern Dusk Singing Cicada, Fall Southeastern Dusk-singing Cicada, Walker’s Cicada, Southern Resonant/Great Pine Barrens Cicada, Hieroglyphic Cicada, Davis’ Southeastern Dog-Day Cicada, Linne’s Cicada, Dark Lyric Cicada, Lyric Cicada, Costal Lyric Cicada and more. 

The Brood XIV cicadas come out every 17 years. Not every year. 

Should You Worry? Not Really.

Your dog might try to snack on one, but no need to panic—cicadas aren’t poisonous. Their crunchy exoskeletons might be a little tough on digestion, but that’s about it.

RELATED: How to keep cicadas out of your yard and protect your plants

In fact, you can eat them too.

Cicadas, like shrimp, lobster, and crab, are part of the arthropod family, earning them the nickname "shrimp of the land." High in protein and low in fat, they can be boiled, sautéed, deep-fried, or even dipped in chocolate. (Not saying you have to, just putting it out there.)

Want to Track Them?

If you’re curious about when and where the cicadas are making their grand entrance, check out Cicada Safari or iNaturalist, which let you track sightings in real time.

Love them or hate them, the cicadas are coming. Get your earplugs ready!