Americans across a conservative state must be prepared for a natural extravaganza as the “Bourbon Brood” of 17-year cicadas makes its grand entrance.
Billions of 17-year cicadas will emerge this spring in a spectacular display of nature that climate alarmists are already trying to hijack for their narrative.
Kentucky and Tennessee will be ground zero for this remarkable natural phenomenon as cicadas that have been developing underground since 2007 finally emerge.
These insects will appear when soil temperatures reach about 64°F, typically coinciding with iris blooms.
The cicadas earned their “Bourbon Brood” nickname because Kentucky is the epicenter of their emergence.
University of Kentucky entomologist Jonathan Larson explained the fitting comparison to the state’s famous export: “You have to age bourbon. We put it in barrels in the dark for a long time, so it’s kind of similar.”
Moreover, local wildlife from birds to foxes will enjoy a protein-rich feast during the cicadas’ brief visit.
These insects pose no threat to humans, pets, or mature plants as they do not bite, sting, or carry diseases. They simply emerge, mate, lay eggs, and die within a few weeks.
“We will begin seeing this brood of cicadas when the soil warms to the mid-60s, about the same time you start to see iris blooms,” Larson said.
“A lot of people hate them, but I hope they will learn to appreciate them as periodical cicadas are such a rarity,” he remarked.
The spectacle includes an impressive mating chorus as male cicadas call to females with sounds reaching 100 decibels, as loud as a chainsaw or motorcycle.
After mating, females lay 200-600 eggs in slits they cut in tree branches.
While this can cause some “flagging” or branch dieback on smaller trees, experts recommend simple protective netting rather than chemical interventions that could harm other beneficial insects.
The liberal media is already trying to co-opt this natural wonder to push their climate change agenda.
NBC News and other left-leaning outlets are claiming that “climate change” might disrupt future emergencies, with zero evidence that these insects have been affected in their 17-year cycles, which have continued uninterrupted since long before the Industrial Revolution.
The cicadas will appear throughout Kentucky and Tennessee, with smaller numbers in surrounding states including Illinois, Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia.
Furthermore, this extraordinary event happens exclusively in America. After the cicadas complete their brief above-ground life cycle, their offspring will burrow back into the soil, where they will remain until 2041.
They will feed on tree root fluid and slowly develop until they are old enough to continue this remarkable cycle, which persisted long before progressive politicians began blaming everything on climate change.
