As I write this, the Brood XIX emergence is all but over, and Brood XIII has about two weeks left to go.
So what’s next? Well, I’ll tell you.
Upload your photos to iNaturalist and the Cicada Safari app
You can help cicada researchers by uploading your photos to iNaturalist or the Cicada Safari app.
iNaturalist is excellent for all animals — plus plants and fungi — not just cicadas. You will find yourself using it all year long. Cicada Safari is specifically for cicadas.
Learn about Annual species of cicadas
There are more to cicadas that just Periodical cicadas.
Cicadas exist on every continent except for Antarctica, and in every State in the U.S. except for Hawaii and Alaska!
Saving cicada skins (molts/shells) and wings is easy. Just keep them dry.
Preserving Periodical cicadas can be challenging because their eye colors fade and because they’re fatty and smell.
If you want to preserve eye colors, keeping them in alcohol seems to work best.
Some people dip them in acetone to mitigate the smell from decaying fat, but I’ve never tried it.
Otherwise, keep them dry and in a cedar box. I use silica gel packs to keep them dry. Cedar repels small insects that will eat your cicada collection. Moth balls work as well to keep tiny insects away from your collection.
If you want to pin your cicadas, so the wings are spread out, you have to do it while the cicadas are still moist. Plenty of places have supplies, like Carolina Biological Supply. I’ve softened hard cicadas by placing them in Tupperware/Rubbermaid containers with moist paper towels and a moth ball to prevent mold.
Make a scrapbook of your cicada memories
Make a scrapbook or photo album of your cicada memories.
This is something I do every year, though I tend to mix it up with non-cicada photos as well.
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!
People ask, “Can periodical cicada singing damage hearing”? It all depends on how long you expose yourself to their song, and how close your ears are to the insect. Invest in some quality ear plugs if you are concerned. Consult a medical professional, of course. Get a Sound Level Meter.
Periodical cicada choruses are often in the 80–85db range, which the CDC says “You may feel very annoyed” and “Damage to hearing possible after 2 hours of exposure”:
If you spend a long time outside during a chorus, your ears will probably ring for hours after. That is my personal experience.
Placed directly on a microphone, I have observed periodical cicadas get as loud as 111.4db. According to the CDC, that is close enough to cause hearing damage in less than 2 minutes. Do not place male cicadas on your ear! Do not put your head right next to the tree branches where they’re singing.
Check out this video of Magicicada sound levels measured by an EXTECH 407730 Sound Level Meter:
How to avoid hearing them?
Stay indoors
Buy earplugs or headphones that block external sound
Avoid their peak singing times, between 10 am and 5 pm. Before 10 am and after 5 pm are also the best times to do yard work to avoid them.
I’ve exposed myself to hundreds of hours of cicada songs. I’ve also gone to hundreds of concerts and listened to a lot of rowdy music over the years. My hearing is not great, but it is probably not due to cicadas.
It is worth mentioning that only male cicadas sing. Females make noise by flicking their wings, but they are not as loud as the males. Males have organs called tymbals that vibrate creating their signature sound.
Here are illustrations and a photo of a Magicicada’s tymbals. They have one on each side of their body:
So what is the loudest cicada? According to the University of Florida Insect Book of World Records, “The African cicada, Brevisana brevis (Homoptera: Cicadidae) produces a calling song with a mean sound pressure level of 106.7 decibels at a distance of 50cm.” The loudest cicada in the United States, using the same methodology, is Diceroprocta apache (Davis) at 106.2db at 50cm.
I need to take measurements of Magicicada from 50cm to make a comparison. The measurements I’ve taken are in the midst of a large chorus with cicadas about a meter to 20 meters away, which falls in the 80-85db range; or directly on the mic, which gets into the 109-111db range. Your results may vary.
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.
Upload a tree or branch with flagging to iNaturalist, add it to the Magicicada Flagging Project, and when it asks you if the observation has “Magicicada Flagging” select “yes”.
When Magicicada cicadas lay eggs in the branches of trees (ovipositing) branches may become damaged or die which causes the leaves to turn brown. This is called flagging. Magicicadas, depending on their location, oviposit between late April through to the end of June. Flagging will appear in the weeks following ovipositing. Leaves will remain brown throughout the year.
The project works regardless of whether the organism is identified as a type of tree (oak, chestnut, etc.) or a Magicicada cicada. Most people identify trees with flagging as a “Magicicada” but I would not want to take away the option to allow people to identify a tree (oak, chestnut, etc.) over the type of cicada that did the damage.
There is a similar observation field for cicada presence set to flagging/oviposition scars, but it’s not specific to Magicicada and oviposition scars do not always accompany flagging. I do encourage you to use this observation field as well!
How can you tell if a Magicicada periodical cicada nymph is ready to molt?
Answer: look for two black spots on its back (technically the cephalothorax). They look like they are wearing aviator sunglasses pushed up on their forehead!
I do not know the official name for these spots, but they seem to be related to the pigment that turns the cicadas black after they molt. They may scare away predators that think the spots are big eyes!
Here are a few ideas for a name for them:
obscuras maculas
mutatione macularum
News from Vivek Sarkar! A new cicada species, Becquartina bicolor, has been discovered in India.
This also marks the first time a cicada of the genus Becquartina was discovered in India.
Photos courtesy and copyright of Vivek Sarkar. Note the variation in colors.
From Vivek:
I am thrilled to share with you the latest development in our research endeavors here in India. We have recently uncovered an astonishing new cicada species from the genus, marking its inaugural appearance in India. This significant discovery was made independently within the mysterious forests of Garo Hills and Ri Bhoi district, igniting a sense of wonder in the realm of biodiversity exploration and shedding light on the untapped potential of Meghalaya’s diverse ecosystems.
As you are aware, cicadas in India have been a long-standing subject of neglect, with studies stagnating since the early 20th century. Despite boasting the world’s highest generic diversity of cicadas, their biology remains largely unexplored within India. With the unveiling of four new species in Meghalaya (including this one), alongside four additional additions to India’s cicada diversity since 2020, these forests continue to unveil new marvels.
Platypedia cicada by CGWiber of the Dutch John Resort of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah.
Platypedia and Okanagana species are favorites of fly fishers in the western United States.
The trick is guessing when they’ll emerge. Platypedia and Okanagana have a periodicity to their abundance, but they are not as predictable as Magicicada cicadas in the eastern US, which emerge exactly every 17 or 13 years. Take a look at the data from Tim McNary’s Platypedia putnami survey at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space by Tim McNary and you’ll see Platypedia can have peaks every 4 or 8 years. Some years there are zero.
I recommend checking out Dave Zielinski’s new book Cicada Madness, Timing, Fishing Techniques, and Patterns for Cracking the Code of Epic Cicada Emergences. It tackles this topic, has a directory of guides and fly shops, and includes fly patterns. It’s a very nice book.
How can you do your research?
If I were you I would call lodges and fishing equipment shops in the area where you want to fish. You can find this information from Dave’s book, or on Google/Bing. Local people are familiar with the emergence patterns in their area. They’ll also try to get your business, of course. That said, fishermen keep their favorite places a secret. I did not know about my father’s secret fishing place until months before he passed away.
You can use iNaturalist to guess when cicadas will emerge in local areas. iNaturalist is a website and app where you can post photos of plants, fungi, and animals and get an identification. Using thousands of people’s posts, we get good data for when and where cicadas emerge.
Example of how to see when Platypedia emerges in northern Utah
We were asked when cicadas would emerge in Northern Utah. I’m going to guess that northern Utah means Provo, UT, and north, so I grabbed the latitude of Provo from Google Maps which is 40.249 (save this data for later).
1) On iNaturalist filter sightings to Show Verifiable and Needs ID; under Description/Tags put in Platypedia; under Place put Utah, US; and for the Date fields choose Any.
Clicking the Update Search will take you to a page that shows the sightings with photos, locations, dates, and a map.
But don’t do that yet, go to step 3.
2) Click the Download button, to download the data.
3) That takes you to an Export page. Scroll until you see the blue Create Export button and click that. Then once it does its computation, click the Download button. This will download a Comma Separated Value file (.csv) that you can open with Microsoft Excel or a similar program.
4) Open the CSV in Excel, save it as an XLSX file, and filter the top/heading row.
5) Filter the “latitude” column by 40.2490. This will give you locations in Northern Utah.
6) Open a new sheet in Excel, and cut and paste the data from the “observed_on” column into that sheet.
7) Use the Text to Columns wizard under Data to separate the data into months, days, and years.
8) Give the columns the headings Month, Day, and Year and filter them.
With some fiddling, you should get something like:
9) Determining what day they typically emerge.
We know most cicada hatches happen in May(5) and June(6).
First, filter the Month column by 5.
Then look at the Day data for the average (Mean) and most frequent (Mode) dates when cicadas emerge.
We can see that in May(5) the average day people spot Platypedia is the 23rd (Mean) and the most frequent date is the 29th (Mode). Typically they start to emerge the last week of May, so that’s when you want to start calling the lodges, guides, and fly fishing gear shops for specific information.
Let’s do the same for June(6).
We can see for June that the average (Mean) date they are sighted is the 15th and most frequently (Mode) sighted on the 19th. This tells me that the first three weeks of June are a good time for finding Platypedia cicadas.
So, if I was planning a northern Utah fly fishing trip, it better happen between the last week of May to the third week of June, leaning towards the second week of June.
There’s probably an easier way to process the data. Maybe AI tools like ChatGPT.
That said, just call or email the Locals. They know what’s up. Data can only help so much because Platypedia can be so random.
