WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — You may hear the warning of cicadas swarming on Georgia often, but this summer they could be especially bothersome.
Channel 2′s Eboni Deon dived deeper into why this year could be different.
Davey Tree District Manager Chris Heim tells Deon that this spring’s brood of cicadas are on their 17-year cycle and are expected to extend into north Georgia.
“Over the different parts of the country where they do emerge, billions will come out of the ground: very noisy,” said Heim.
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The cicadas will start to emerge any time in the next few weeks when ground temperatures start to reach 64 degrees.
Areas of far north Georgia, like Lumpkin and White counties, will see the most of the noisy creatures.
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While you might not have seen the cicadas, you have certainly heard the mating call that comes from male cicadas’ wings. It is the loudest at night, but can be heard throughout the day.
They might be annoying, but they will not do much damage to your yard. The only real risk is to young trees that female cicadas may lay eggs in, causing the twigs to split.
“That’s what I’ve heard. I don’t think they do much damage. I mean I worry more about the weeds that I have growing up around here,” neighbor Sheila Tschinkel told Deon.
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Heim says the carcasses found on trees fall to the ground and compost, adding nutrients to the soil.
“For wildlife, they’re a great food source; birds, squirrels, underground mammals,” said Heim.
If you notice a lot of holes in your yard the size of a dime, there is a good chance the cicadas have arrived, but they’ll only be around for a few weeks.
