Magicicada periodical cicadas often emerge earlier or later than expected. This phenomenon is called straggling, and the individual cicadas that emerged earlier or later are called stragglers. Magicicada are presumed to straggle for a number of reasons including subterranean overcrowding and the effects of urban heat islands on subterranean environments (a recent phenomenon). Evolutionarily speaking, it is a mechanism that allows them to break away from their original brood and form a new one. Right now on the homepage of the UCONN Cicada site they have a good story about how Brood XIV connects to Brood X, which connects to VI, which connects to II.
Stragglers, in the past, were observed and documented (MORRIS,J. G. 1870. Seventeen-year locust two years too late. Amer. Ent., 2: 304.) but it is much easier to do so today thanks to apps like iNaturalist, Cicada Safari, and mobile phones and social media in general.
So, where are we observing stragglers in 2025?
Down in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana, Brood XXII is emerging 2 years early (iNaturalist Map). Brood XXII typically has a 13-year lifecycle.
There are many Brood X stragglers emerging in the Washington D.C. area (iNaturalist Map).
Brood I stragglers are appearing in the Roanoke, Virginia area emerging four years early. (iNaturalist map).
There are a handful of Brood X stragglers in the Princeton, NJ area. (iNaturalist Map).
And here’s a map that plots all the Broods, courtesy of Cicadas @ UCONN:
Two notes:
1) The general public does not like the term stragglers when applied to cicadas that emerge early, because straggling generally means to be late, not early. Marlatt referred to them as precursors (Marlatt, 1989). You can use that term if you like.
2) People called cicadas locusts in the recent past. Scientifically speaking and in modern times, a locust is a grasshopper. Cicadas and grasshoppers are very different insects, but they can emerge in large numbers and do some damage to plants (cicadas cause flagging on trees, while locusts eat everything), hence the confusion.
Like clockwork, Gene is back with another book about one of the major periodical cicada broods found in the U.S.A. This time it is for Brood XIV (14). Gene’s books are the “only game in town” so to speak, when it comes to periodical cicadas. They detail the facts about the insects, tell you where you can find them, and include folklore and legends about the insects.
Periodical cicada Brood XIV (14) will emerge in the spring of 2025 in Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. The last time this brood emerged was in 2008. The emergence has begun in states highlighted in green. Just New Jersey is left to go.
Usually beginning in May and ending in late June. These cicadas emerge approximately when the soil 8″ beneath the ground reaches approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Above ground temperatures in the 70’s-80’s help warm the soil to that point. A warm rain will often trigger an emergence.
Other tips: these cicadas will emerge after the trees have grown leaves, and, according to my own observation, around the same time Iris flowers bloom.
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Georgia:iNaturalist Live Map. Counties: Fannin, Lumpkin, Rabun, Union. Cicadas have been reported using the Cicada Safari app in the Lake Burton area. Update: the emergence is underway.
Georgia’s populations are difficult to access. I have heard that Magicicada septendecula dominate. Update: just nymphs reported so far, but I bet adults have emerged.
Indiana:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking the southern part of Indiana, by the Ohio River. Counties: Crawford, Harrison, Perry. The first reported adult cicadas were found in Corydon on 5/16. Update: the emergence is underway.
Kentucky:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking most of Kentucky east of U.S. Route 41, with major hot-spots along the Ohio river. Counties: Anderson, Barren, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Bracken, Campbell, Carter, Clinton, Edmonson, Fayette, Franklin, Floyd, Gallatin, Grant, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, LaRue, Laurel, Leslie, Logan, Madison, McCreary, Montgomery, Nelson, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pike, Pulaski, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Whitley. Cities: Adairville, Bowling Green, Corbin, Flemingsburg, Frankfort, Greensburg, Hazard, Jeffersontown (J-Town), Louisville, Radcliff, Richmond, Valley Station. The first reported adult cicada was found in Whitley City, KY on 5/2. Update: the emergence is underway.
Massachusetts:iNaturalist Live Map. Counties: Barnstable, Plymouth. Locations: (western half of) Cape Cod. The first reported adult cicadas were found in Sandwich on 5/17. Update: the emergence is underway.
New Jersey:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking southern New Jersey, where the Jersey Devil lives (he might have ate them all up). Counties: Atlantic, Camden, Ocean. Cities: Linwood, Manchester Township, Winslow Township. Update: nothing yet, just a Brood X straggler in Princeton.
New Jersey’s population may have gone extinct, but we’ll look for it this year to make sure.
New York:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking Long Island. Counties: Nassau, Suffolk. New York cities: East Setauket and Dix Hills (thanks Elias Bonaros). The first reported adult cicadas were found in Coram and Setauket on 5/15. Update: the emergence is underway.
North Carolina:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking western North Carolina, particularly areas heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene. It will be interesting to see if the cicadas were impacted as well, as flooding may have washed away their underground tunnels and habitat.Counties: Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Henderson, McDowell, Mitchell, Wilkes. North Carolina cities: Asheville, Haw Creek, East Asheville, Moravian Falls, north-west of Nashville, Wilkesboro. The first reported adult cicada was found in Leicester, NC on 4/22. Update: the emergence is underway.
Ohio:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking south-western Ohio, with the hottest spots just east of Cincinnati. This is the homeland of cicada-experts Gene Kritsky and Roy Troutman, and world-famous botanist Matt Berger. Counties: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Gallia, Hamilton, Highland, Ross, Warren. Cities: Batavia, Blue Ash, Cincinnati area, Indian Hill, Loveland, Maderia, Mariemont, Milford, Miami Twp. The first reported adult cicadas were found in Rio Grande and Bainbridge on 5/8. Update: the emergence is underway.
Pennsylvania:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking central Pennsylvania, and random locations toward the east.Adams, Berks, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Cumberland, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union. Pennsylvania cities: Bear Gap, Elverson. The first reported adult cicada was found in Morgantown on 5/8.
Tennessee:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking north of Nashville, north-west of Chattanooga and in random places in the eastern half of the state. Counties: Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Cheatham, Claiborne, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, Grainger, Grundy, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Marion, Putnam, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Sevier, Sumner, Unicoi, Williamson. Cities: Cades Cove, Goodlettsville, Hampton, Muddy Pond. The first reported adult cicada was found in Nashville on 4/25. Update: the emergence is underway.
Virginia:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking western Virginia, and mostly the part tucked under Kentucky. Counties: Botetourt, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Wise. The first reported adult cicada was found in near Campbell on 4/25. Update: the emergence is underway. Brood X stragglers are emerging near D.C.
West Virginia:iNaturalist Live Map. We’re talking the area west of Interstate 77 (I-77), bordered by Kentucky and Ohio. Counties: Cabell, Kanawha, Mason, Mingo, Putnam, Wyoming. West Virginia cities: Huntington. The first reported adult cicada was found in in Panther State Forest on 5/4. Update: the emergence is underway.
*City data comes from May 2008 and June 2008 blog comments. County locations are historical and may no-longer be accurate.
Experts (Gaye Williams, State Entomologist of Maryland, John Cooley of UCONN) have confirmed that there will be no Brood XIV cicadas for Maryland. That said, there will be some stragglers from Brood X. You can look for reports of stragglers using this iNaturalist map.
More Maps and Location Tips!
Cicadas @ UCONN has the most up to date maps. Zoom in and look for the images of cicadas.
* Although county locations may no longer be accurate, I like to keep them on the page in case someone discovers a small, secret or unknown population of these cicadas. People might be disappointed, but we want to know for sure that the cicadas are (or are not) thriving in historical locations. This is the cicada researcher’s dilemma: either focus on the guaranteed/sure shot locations for the general public to enjoy, or include the obscure, relic locations so we do not miss out on rare cicada sightings. Cicadas @ UCONN talks about the relationship between the different broods — Brood XIV and Brood X are closely related geographically and genetically. You might find a Brood X straggler emerging 4 years late, and mistake it for Brood XIV. If a large number (large enough to sustain future emergences) of Brood X makes the 4-year “JUMP” to be in synch with Brood XIV, they technically become Brood XIV (and the reverse is true).
Got Massospora?
Have you seen any cicadas with Massospora infections. Professor Matt Kasson of WVU wants your Massospora-infected Magicicada cassini and septendecula cicadas (but not septendecim). Email mtkasson@mail.wvu.edu if you have one to share!
One phenomenal behavior of Magicicada periodical cicadas is they “straggle”, meaning they emerge earlier or later than the year they are expected. Typically they emerge 1 or 4 years before they’re supposed to emerge.
Brood XXIII is expected to emerge in four years in 2028, but enough are emerging in 2024 for cicada researchers like Chris Simon to take notice! She let us know about the stragglers on May 8th.
Brood XXIII is found in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. This is not a perfect map (it overlaps with Brood XIX), but XXIII cicadas will show up in that area.
Arkansas: Bayou Deview Wildlife Management Area, Poinsett County, Devalls Bluff, Harrisburg, Holland Bottoms, Jacksonville, Jonesboro, Knox Co., Lake Hogue, Lake Poinsett State Park, Little Rock, and Wynne.
Illinois: Anna, Carbondale, Carterville, Chester, Clinton Lake, Marissa and Robinson.
Indiana: Harmonie State Park, Hymera, Leanne, Richland, Sullivan And Posey Counties.
Kentucky: Benton, Calvert City, Gilbertsville, Henry County, Murray, and Paducah.
Louisiana: Bastrop, Choudrant, Grayson and West Monroe.
Mississippi: Alva, Arlington, Booneville, Brandon, Clinton, Corinth, Desoto County, Florence, French Camp, Hernando, Holcomb, Houlka, Jackson, New Albany, Oxford, Potts Camp, Silver Creek, Tishomingo, and Water Valley.
Tennessee: Atoka, Benton, Cordova, Henry County, Huntingdon, Jackson, Lavinia, Leach, Lexington, McNeary County, Memphis, Paris, Savannah, and Speedwell.
Here’s a blue overlay of there Brood XXIII emerges from the UCONN map on the iNaturalist data (as of May 5th):
Surrounding the blue area on the west and east is Brood XIX and north will be Brood XIII.
Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania Magicicada Emergence Gallery #2.
These images are from 2016, Brood V.
Click/tap the image for a larger version.
Visit Gallery #1 as well.
