What is making that screaming sound outside?
Adult cicadas cover a plant, Monday, May 17, 2021, at Woodend Sanctuary and Mansion, in Chevy Chase, Md. Reporters traveling to the United Kingdom ahead of President Joe Bidens first overseas trip were delayed seven hours late Tuesday after their chartered plane was overrun by cicadas.The Washington, D.C. area is among the many parts of the country suffering under the swarm of Brood X, a large emergence of the loud 17-year insects that take to dive-bombing onto moving vehicles and unsuspecting passersby. Weather and crew rest issues also contributed to the flight delay. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)  SAN ANTONIO  Weve all heard it - that incredibly loud screaming/buzzing noise outside that seemingly comes from out of nowhere and reaches a loud cadence before it eventually becomes white noise. Some people in and around San Antonio are finding the noise to be so disconcerting, theyre asking social media what all the screaming is outside. Cicadas. Many native Texans are likely familiar with cicadas since Texas has an emergence of these insects every year, according to the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. Male cicadas are known to perch on tree trunks and branches and sing to females, who do not make that distinct noise that most Texans are likely familiar with. "Cicada close-up" by Nikki Boahbedason at Kosch-Headwaters Preserve, Superior Township. (Nikki Boahbedason)  According to Britannica, cicadas have air sacs that resonant frequencies comparable to tymbal vibration frequencies, thus amplifying the sound and producing that crescendo of high-pitched buzzing that is the characteristic sound of late summer.  Ad  An article from How Stuff Works notes that cicadas are the only insects capable of producing such a unique and loud sound - sometimes in excess of 120 decibels at close range. For reference, a thunderclap and a chainsaw are equivalent decibel-level producers. Cicadas tend to sing in the heat of the day and their noise repels birds, making it easier for them to mate without fear of predatory animals. Related: