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The World Cup cicada: India’s rare insect on a four-year clock

Al Jazeera · Jun 14, 2026, 8:20 AM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • In Saiden, a village tucked into the hills of Meghalaya in northeastern India, another spectacle is under way.
  • Villagers watch for gathering rain clouds, the first break in the summer heat, and the moment the forest floor yields beneath their feet.
  • Millions of niangtaser cicadas emerge from the ground after spending four years underground, transforming the village for a few brief weeks from May into June.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

In Saiden, a village tucked into the hills of Meghalaya in northeastern India, another spectacle is under way.

Villagers watch for gathering rain clouds, the first break in the summer heat, and the moment the forest floor yields beneath their feet. Then, almost overnight, the silence lifts and the forest begins to sing.

Millions of niangtaser cicadas emerge from the ground after spending four years underground, transforming the village for a few brief weeks from May into June.

Article preview — originally published by Al Jazeera. Full story at the source.
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