As billions of cicadas emerge from underground after years of dormancy, residents in South Carolina have reported hearing loud ‘siren’ sounds. The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the noise is caused by male cicadas singing to attract mates. These red-eyed periodical cicadas, known as Brood X and Brood XIII, have not converged in centuries and are emerging in unprecedented numbers. While the noise may be annoying, cicadas pose no danger to humans or pets. This double dose of cicadas is a rare phenomenon that has not been seen for centuries and is estimated to involve trillions of insects across 16 states.