Yep, Brood X cicadas are edible. Up for pizza topped with blanched bugs?

In case you hadn't heard, trillions of Brood X cicadas are emerging for the first time in 17 years. These critters spend most of their lives underground and come out for at least three to four weeks for a massive mating season, and they're showing up in 15 US states and Washington, DC, leading some to turn to pest control. But there's another -- perhaps more, let's say, natural -- way to manage this insect emergence: eat them.

Now, why would you do that if there are so many other (arguably less creepy) things to eat? Well, many people are looking for alternative ways to consume protein to offset the environmental impact of raising cattle, for instance, which requires lots of space, water and other resources. Insects, on the other hand, emit fewer greenhouse gasses and can boast more protein than meat.

"There is the yuck factor, but people who are looking for alternative sources of animal protein shouldn't rule out cicadas," Johns Hopkins University sustainable food expert Jessica Fanzo said in a statement. "Once you get over the look of them, they're quite tasty."