The cicadas are here.

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The cicadas are here to party.




And like any good party, especially one that only happens every 17 years, the emergence will be loud and crowded. Billions of cicadas, part of a cohort called Brood X, are emerging from underground tunnels to sing, mate and die across the U.S. Here’s everything you need to know.




One person who is especially excited for them is Bun Lai, a Connecticut-based chef who grew up in Japan. For Lai, cicadas are mesmerizing to eat, their sweet, bitter flavor reminiscent of walnuts, chestnuts and adzuki beans, and their gently crunchy exterior giving way to creaminess. He plans to host cicada-centric dinners at his farm.