No one needs to go to the doctor because of a constant buzzing they hear. No, that loud sound is from billions of 13-year cicadas mating in the trees.

This summer, billions of cicadas have emerged in Charleston. The periodical cicadas, commonly known as locusts, come around every 13 years.

According to Jennifer Tariq of the Douglass-Hart Nature Center in Mattoon, the cicadas have an “internal clock” that tells them when to emerge from the ground.

“They usually make their burrows near trees, deep in the ground. The cicadas have a proboscis, similar to that of a butterfly, that allows them to feed on tree sap while they are in the ground,” Tariq said.

While walking around campus, it is almost impossible not to pay attention to the crunch of cicada shells.

“Almost as soon as they emerge, the cicadas shed their old skin and begin to mate,” Tariq said.

Tariq said it was unclear how long the insects will be around, but she said they probably will not be here for the entire summer. In the meantime, local wildlife has been snacking on them.

“Birds love the cicadas,” Tariq said. “Especially swallows. Tree swallows and barn swallows love to eat the cicadas.”

Vicki Sparks, 22, of Chicago, was surprised to see the swarms. “I was in Charleston last weekend and I didn’t see any of them. I come back in town this week, and as soon as I get out of my car, they were all over the place!”

Jack Seliga, a junior sociology major, has not been as bothered by them.

“They’re just bugs,” Seliga said. “They aren’t hurting me in any way. I do kind of feel bad when I step on them, but they’re all over the sidewalk in front of my house.”

Tariq said that cicadas are a delicacy in some countries.

“They are safe to eat. I haven’t personally ate one, but people say they are very sweet, probably because the cicadas feed on tree sap.”

Sparks will not be one of the people trying to eat them.

“They are so gross! One of them landed on me and I screamed,” Sparks said.

Seliga was more open to the idea, but said he would only eat one under extreme circumstances.

“If it came down to a matter of survival, yeah, I guess I could eat them. It would be a good story to tell at least,” he said.

Joe Long can be reached at 581-7942 or densportsdesk@gmail.com