In Newberry County, South Carolina, residents have been calling the sheriff’s office to report what they believe to be sirens or a loud roar. However, the source of the noise is not an emergency, but rather the loud singing of male cicadas trying to attract mates after being dormant for over a decade.
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office took to Facebook on Tuesday to inform the public about the cause of the whining sound.
Sheriff Lee Foster explained that some residents have even flagged down deputies to inquire about the noise, which has been reported from various locations across the county of approximately 38,000 people, situated about 40 miles northwest of Columbia.
The cicadas responsible for the noise are part of the trillions of red-eyed periodical cicadas that are emerging from underground in the eastern United States this month. These broods follow 13 or 17-year cycles, and their collective songs can be as loud as jet engines. In fact, scientists who study these insects often wear earmuffs to protect their hearing from the deafening noise.
After experiencing the cicadas’ singing firsthand on Tuesday, Sheriff Foster now understands why the insects can cause such a disturbance. In his statement to county residents, he reassured them that while the noise may be annoying to some, the cicadas pose no danger to humans or pets.
He concluded by saying, “Unfortunately, it is the sounds of nature.”
The emergence of periodical cicadas is a natural phenomenon that occurs in several parts of the eastern United States. While their loud singing may be a nuisance to some, it is an essential part of their life cycle and a sign of the arrival of summer.
As the cicadas continue to emerge in Newberry County and other areas, residents can expect to hear their songs for several weeks before the insects disappear underground once again, not to be heard from for another 13 or 17 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.