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The cicadas haven't even reached their mating season climax and already the visual evidence of their East Coast presence is alarming. Adult bugs have started to appear in southern, warmer pastures, with nymphs and some adults starting to make their way out of the soil as temperatures rise, according to the WNYC bug tracker. By this weekend, you should start seeing the horny bugs all the way up in New Jersey, according to the Star-Ledger. And if not then, in the next couple of weeks or so large swaths of the eastern seaboard will, for four to six weeks, turn into hot and noisy bug breeding grounds. If you haven't prepared for the impending bug inundation, a look at this imagery of what's to come might motivate you, or, assuage your horror movie fears.

Here they come, a pile of shells and bugs at the base of a tree:

Via Instagram user knchaffee

"During the summer, it is a pastime for children to collect both cicadas and the shells left behind when moulting," says Wikipedia. This takes that to an extreme:

Via Instagram user jimijimiyork

This is kind of romantic in its grossness, actually:

Via Instagram user

Via Instagram user brandycandy

Some people will try to eat them, which sounds like an... experience. This guy claims his BBQed bugs "were excellent":

Via Instagram user hippstarrr

Here's also a truly revolting video:

The brave will make friends with them:

Via Instagram user cidalia_noel

Like this girl, who is a total bug boss:

Via Instagram user comemeshwithtesh

Pictures don't really do the phenomenon justice, though. Check out all the squirmers in action:

Via Viddy user skiger1

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.

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