Cicadas, the red-eyed, noisy, humming insects make their appearance every 17 years.

The residents in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia will be in for a rare event which takes place once in 17 years. Cicadas come out over ground once in 17 years to mate.

After mating the cicadas die, and their offspring will go underground and remain there for another 17 years before they come from the ground to mate and the cycle repeats.

Cicadas are beneficial to the environment and-and do not cause much harm to humans. They only puncture the bark of the trees and crawl on whichever object or surface they can find. They provide ample food for wildlife.

The sudden appearence of cicadas will also lead to a surge in over ground food birds and mammals. There will also be a boost in offspring production. Additionally, the soil will also see a surge in its nutrient contents, when the cicadas die in large numbers.  It will benefit trees and understory vegetation.

Cicadas belong to the Phylum Arthropod or jointed leg creatures and are a member of Hemiptera order. This order also includes Aphids and leafhoppers and insects. The offspring stay underground for 13 to 17 years remaining as nymphs. At the right time, they emerge from ground and molt into winged adults. Usually, the cicadas emerge 8 inches from the soil when the temperatures are 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

Many experts feel that climate change has also affected the Cicadas, and they are emerging 10 to 14 days earlier almost in all over the Eastern United States. The ground temperatures are already exceeding 64 degrees Fahrenheit; the insects will emerge out of the ground.