After trillions of periodical cicadas emerged from years of burrowing in the U.S. last month, scientists are hoping to capitalize on the rare event by studying the effects the insects have on the food chain. Brood XIII and Brood XIX are loudly buzzing across America together for the first time since 1803, making 2024 a year of plentiful food for for snakes, spiders, birds, and even some mammals. But what happens when this all-you-can-eat buffet doesn’t come back next year? The BBC has more.
