Photo provided by Barnstable County
SANDWICH – Experts say Brood XIV cicadas being heard all across the Upper Cape will quiet down soon.
The periodical bugs known for their signature loud buzz return every 17 years, mostly around the Cape Cod Canal region.
The state Department of Agricultural Resources says their mating period lasts about 4 weeks, so most will be gone by the beginning of July.
While they are no threat to humans or pets, they can damage young trees. Barnstable County officials recommend concerned residents cover new trees with a mesh with gaps no bigger than one centimeter to keep the bugs away.
Their signature buzz can reach volumes as loud as a lawnmower.
Once the insects finish laying their eggs mid-summer, the nymphs will hatch just before fall to drop to the ground and burro underground for another 17 years.
More on periodical cicadas can be found on the Barnstable County official webpage here.
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