A rare natural spectacle is set to unfold in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district as thousands of periodical cicadas emerge after nearly four years, coinciding with the annual Niangtaser Festival on May 8 and 9.
Held at Iewsier in Saiden village, the festival celebrates the appearance of Chremistica ribhoi, a species locally known as the “World Cup cicada” due to its four-year emergence cycle, often aligning with the FIFA World Cup season.
Organised by the Ri Bhoi Tourism and Environmental Developmental Forum, the event brings together ecological awareness and indigenous cultural traditions.
As dusk falls, forests in the region are expected to witness a dramatic transformation, with nymphs emerging from the soil and climbing bamboo stems and tree trunks before shedding their outer skins to become winged adults. By morning, tree bark and branches are left dotted with empty shells, marking the overnight transformation.
In the following days, the hills resonate with the distinctive mating calls of the insects, a phenomenon that scientists consider one of the rarest among cicada species.
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The species was first documented in 2013 by North Eastern Hill University researcher Sudhanya R. Hajong, who recorded the synchronised emergence in Ri Bhoi. It was later formally identified along with researcher Yaakop as a new species under the genus Chremistica.
Researchers note that while thousands of cicada species exist worldwide, only a handful exhibit fixed periodic life cycles, making C. ribhoi the only known periodical cicada recorded in the Indian subcontinent.
Festival organisers said visitors will be able to witness the emergence first-hand, along with cultural programmes, football matches, fishing competitions, music and dance performances, and fashion shows. Camping facilities have also been arranged, with guided tours planned to nearby emergence sites after sunset.
For the local Bhoi Khasi community, the cicada also holds culinary value, with freshly emerged insects roasted, dried or preserved as pickles and sold in village markets during the season.
However, experts have cautioned that increased tourism and social media attention could pose risks to the species if harvesting is not carefully regulated, given its infrequent four-year emergence cycle.
Ecologists underline that the mass emergence plays a vital role in sustaining the ecosystem, providing a sudden food source for birds, reptiles, mammals and other insects, while ensuring sufficient numbers survive to reproduce before retreating underground again.
With preparations under way, the Ñiangtaser Festival offers a unique confluence of biodiversity, science and tradition, unfolding quietly in Meghalaya’s forests after nightfall.
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