That incessant buzzing sound you’ve been hearing for weeks now is not in your head. It’s mostly in the trees and bushes and all over your yard.

It’s the (actually) harmless cicada.

Dr. John Abbott, an entomologist and chief curator and director of The University of Alabama department of museum research and collections, said adult cicadas live four to six weeks and it’s the males we hear calling. This is Brood XIX coming out this year. There were some stragglers last year and likely will be some next year as well.

We asked him about some things we’ve heard here and there about cicadas and he offered up some facts to quell those worries.

Read the full interview with Dr. Abbott over at news.ua.edu.