When cicadas dig through the soil to the surface and lay their eggs, they help more flowers and fruit grow the following year.
In addition, their bodies contribute lots of nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil after they die. As they decay, they will produce a stench that resembles the smell of rotting nuts.
The dual emergence event might lead the two broods to interbreed, potentially creating a whole new brood with a different life cycle.
The phenomenon should be finished by early July. The next time the broods align again will be in 2245.
So, if you live in an area where the event will be occurring, try to embrace the fact that you’ll be experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime development.
