BUFFALO, N.Y. — You've probably seen the headlines about the billions of cicadas set to emerge from a 17-year slumber this spring.
While some cicadas further south are already emerging, Western New York is looking hit or miss this year.
The little bugs might make you uncomfortable, but the Mid-Atlantic region is the only place in the world where they thrive.
These periodical cicadas are different from the annual ones in that they live underground before emerging about every 17 years - give or take. When the ground hits 64 degrees the drove of bugs emerges, and when they do their only job is to find a mate.
What humans perceive as an annoying and often loud chirp is actually a mating call.
2 On Your Side asked Sarajane Gomlak-Green from the Buffalo Museum of Science about cicadas in Western New York.
"If you're going to want to see a really big impact, you're going to have to head south," Gomlak-Green said. "Based on the trends they may actually be extinct in New York State, because the last data that we had from 2004, their numbers were declining, so if we continue on that, they may not actually come out at all."
That's mostly because of climate change, she said. Central Pennsylvania is a better place for cicada spotting and other areas further south.
When the next generation goes underground, a large portion will not return until 2038.
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