Thirteen-year cicadas have given people a new appreciation for Mother Nature. Swarms of these pests have taken over the outdoors, landing wherever there is space.

It’s enough to give someone an anxiety attack when one flies into an undesirable location, such as a car. The cicada’s unwelcoming screech puts a person on alarm when they look down and make eye-contact with its red eyes.

The news has reported there are billions of these cicadas and they will only last two weeks, which is good-right?

However, there is a good part to these flying creatures people must dodge, move away from and look out for before opening doors.

They don’t bite animals or humans, which makes them better than most bugs. They just fly around in the trees and, hopefully, are eaten by the birds. However, I think the cicadas outnumber the birds to a wide margin.

The quiet outdoors has been taken over by a constant chirping. A very loud, constant chip. Days of reading a book on a picnic table bench are few now, but the noise seems to be dying down.

Does this mean they are starting to go back in the ground? Let’s hope so.

It seems two things bring them out the most, and those would be heat and sunlight. While these two consistently work hand-in-hand, the cicadas are attracted to any wooden structures, including buildings.

However, it is ironic to go out to lunch and watch them from inside Subway. They fly into the door or window and fall. They then crawl on the ground and fly away.

They’re strange little creatures, but they like to attack when given the chance. All they do is land on people and then fly away, but the landing part is more than enough to cause stress.

Soon they’ll all be in the ground again. The outdoors will be quiet again, and the summer can be enjoyed with lazy days reading a book on a picnic table bench.

Their big red eyes will no longer be a nuisance, and they won’t look so scary when they fly. It’s strange, however; they always seem to fly in packs. Just when a person shoos one away, they have to shoo away another.

They have affected many states across the Midwest, moreso in some states than in others. Some counties may not have been affected at all, but in Charleston they are vibrant in the trees.

At night, it is peaceful. The cicadas don’t make much noise, which is great. Then, morning comes and they serve as an alarm clock. They’re active and flying all across campus, but maybe they’ll be gone soon.

They may have an annoying screech, but they’re harmless. In a week, they’ll be gone. Then people will have back their outdoors until the 17-year cicadas arrive.

Jennifer Brown is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com