EAST STROUDSBURG -- In a few months, the sounds of summer will be more than just birds chirping.
Also making some noise will be an insect called the cicada.
But this year, you'll hear another chorus of singers, from a different type of cicada that only comes out once every 17 years.
These performers are a bit smaller and their music, a bit louder.
"Extremely excited because it only happens every 17 years," said Matthew Wallace, associate professor of Biological Studies at East Stroudsburg University.
Wallace said the last time anyone saw this many cicadas was in 2004. Those cicadas were part of a different 17-year brood, or group.
This year's 17-year group came out of their shell, so to speak, in 1996.
Newswatch 16 reported on the most recent 17-year brood back in 2004. The cicadas were everywhere, singing up a storm.
It's something we can expect in a couple of months, from Connecticut to Washington, D.C.
"Some places might have millions, or at least hundreds of thousands of these cicadas emerging from the ground," said Wallace.
"I'm kind of excited to hear it," said April Christensen of Tannersville.
"I'm not worried at all. I find cicadas pretty fascinating," said David Christensen of Tannersville.
"Now the people who come up here from the city to get away from it all, they're going to be scared and they're going to want to leave," said Bill Grant of Stroudsburg.
As the 17-year cicada brood come out, singing up a storm, their relatives, the annual cicada, will also be out as well. So the noise, with the 17-year and the annual, could be deafening at times. So you may want to think twice about having many outdoor events.
"It's really just an annoyance thing. If you're trying to do something fun, outside, like a wedding, the sound might be deafening, and might be tough to go through with the ceremony," said Wallace.
Cicadas might land on you, but they don't bite.