Cicadas Are Back in New York State

We're three weeks into summertime and the intense heat and thunderstorms have been apparent early on.

Other than heat and thunderstorms, the biggest thing about outdoors in July and August are insects.

Whether they're flies, bees, wasps, hornets, ants, spiders, beetles or June bugs, insects can be everywhere this time of year; infiltrating homes and causing frustration for those who are patio dining around New York state.

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There's one insect that took the east coast by storm a couple years back and it appears they're back in New York state.

Cicadas are grasshopper-like bugs which are harmless for humans, but their size and annoying sound cause nightmares for people who had to experience them when they took over parts of the country back in the spring and summer of 2020.

It was the first time in years they made their way back into the public eye...but are they back in New York?

Mike Doyle of WIVB Weather tweeted out that he heard the unmistakable sound of a cicada in Lackawanna, just outside of the City of Buffalo.

According to New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation, annual cicadas can be heard every year. This might shock some people, but what happened in 2020 is something that only occurs once in a great while. In reality, annual cicadas can in fact be heard every summer.

The 17-year periodical cicadas are the ones that pop up every 17 years. The annual cicadas are mistaken often for the periodical cicadas, which usually come in larger numbers.

Annual cicadas have a life-cycle of 2 to 5 years.

If you hear or see cicadas in Western, Central or Upstate New York, don't panic. Cicadas are harmless to humans but yes, they can be quite annoying with the songs they sing.