If you’ve never encountered cicada swarms before, consider yourself lucky.
And if you have had to dodge the flying insects, add yourself to the lucky list anyway because Delaware will not be welcoming a cicada brood this year.
What is a cicada?
Out of the more than 3,000 cicada species, there are only two types of cicadas: annual and periodical, according to National Geographic Kids.
Annual cicadas, also known as dog-day cicadas, emerge from the ground at different times each summer and are not the fleets of broods seen during some years. They are usually dark with greenish markings and avoid predators by camouflaging themselves in trees and flying away to escape harm.
Periodical cicadas all emerge from the ground at the same time in a brood, containing millions or even billions of the insect, and appear after a dormant period of either 13 or 17 years. They have orange bellies, black backs and red eyes.
Periodical cicadas are only found in the central and eastern parts of the country, so unfortunately for Delaware, the state is right in the line of hazard. Due to their large population, it is difficult to get rid of them because no predator can eat enough of the bug to make a big enough dent in their presence, according to National Geographic Kids.