Cicadas Are Beginning to Rain From the Sky

The great cicada hatchling deluge has begun, and it means a new generation of tiny cicadas will be falling into the ground by the billions.

According to The Washington Post, the two-millimeter cicada nymphs are the product of the current crop of Brood X cicadas that have captured the public’s attention—and caused some to call the police due to their loud mating habits—over the past several months. They surfaced to procreate after being dormant in the ground for 17 years, and now their offspring will be doing the same. Females lay eggs on tree branches, so the nymphs will be doing some skydiving to get to the ground.

If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of the cicadas, you probably need something with a little contrast to it. The tiny white specks may show up against a dark background. Eventually, they’ll head underground—sometimes to the same network of tunnels their parents occupied—and continue to grow.

Brood X is different from annual cicadas, which are becoming active around the Midwest and east coast. These cicadas live two to three years on average but are a bit beefier than their Brood X counterparts.

The eggs will proliferate through the end of August. Cicadas: The Sequel is due to arrive in 2038.

[h/t The Washington Post]