Life Cycle - Cicada Mania

Cicadas have three types of life cycles: annual, periodical, proto-periodical.

January 9, 2021

Periodical cicada Brood X (10) will emerge in 15 states in 2021

Filed under: Brood X | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 1:01 am

Brood X 2021

Periodical cicada Brood X (10) will emerge in the spring of 2021 in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.

The last time this brood emerged was in 2004.

What, when, where, and why:

What:

Billions of these insects:

Adult, Nymph, Molting Cicada

Black, orange and red Cicada insects with a 17-year life cycle.
Some people call them “locusts” but they’re really cicadas.
Which species: All three 17-year species, Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini and Magicicada septendecula. How to tell the difference between the species.
NOT the green ones that arrive annually.

When:

Typically beginning in mid-May and ending in late June. These cicadas will begin to emerge approximately when the soil 8″ beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit. A nice, warm rain will often trigger an emergence. Back in 2004, people began reporting emergences around May, 13th.

Other tips: these cicadas will emerge after the trees have grown leaves, and, by my own observation, around the same time Iris flowers bloom:

Magicicada on an iris flower in Scotch Plains by Judy Lanfredi

Where:

Magicicada.org has the most up to date maps. If you see a cicada and want to report it, the Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices 📱.

Places = cities, towns, communities, parts, etc. where people told us they emerged back in 2004.

Delaware counties: Kent, Sussex
Delaware places: Newark, Wilmington
Georgia counties: Union, White
Georgia places: Blairsville, Ellijay, Norcross
Illinois counties: Edgar, Clark, Crawford, Vermilion
Illinois places: Marshall
Indiana counties: Brown, Clark, Clay, Columbus, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Dubois, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Montgomery, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Ripley, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Warrick
Indiana places: Bloomington, Brookville, Clinton Falls, Dillsboro, Fishers, French Lick, Indianapolis, Lawrenceburg, Lexington, Martinsville, McCormick’s Creek State Park, Nashville, North Vernon, Skiles Test Park, Spencer
Kentucky counties: Boone, Breckenridge, Bullitt, Carroll, Daviess, Gallatin, Grayson, Henry, Jefferson, La Rue, McLean, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Trimble
Kentucky places: Big Bone Lick State Park, Covington, Dayton, Dry Ridge, Florence, Ft. Thomas, Georgetown, Hebron, Highland Heights, Louisville, Newport, Villa Hills.
Maryland counties: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Washington
Maryland places: Abingdon, Annapolis, Aspen Hill, Baltimore, Bel Air, Beltsville, Berwyn Heights, Bethesda, Bowie, Brooklandville, Brooklyn Park, Catonsville, Chevy Chase, Clinton, Colesville, College Park, Columbia, Cockeysville, Crofton, Cumberland, District Heights, Eldersburg, Elkridge, Elkton, Ellicott City, Fair Hill, Fallston, Forestville, Gaithersburg, Gambrills, Germantown, Glen Burnie, Glenelg, Greenbelt, Gwynn Oak, Hagerstown, Hanover, Havre De Grace, Hillcrest Heights, Hunt Valley, Hyattsville, Hydes, Jessup, Landover Hills, Laurel, Lutherville, Odenton, Oella, Owings Mills, Pikesville, Potomac, Randallstown, Reisterstown, Riverdale, Rockville, Severna Park, Sharpsburg, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Timonium, Towson, Wheaton
Michigan counties: Hillsdale, Washtenaw
Michigan places: Ann Arbor, Canton, Quincy
North Carolina counties: Cherokee, Surry, Wilkes
North Carolina places: Morganton, Murphy
New Jersey counties: Burlington, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem
New Jersey places: Browns Mills, Harmony, Hillsborough, Holland Township, Kingwood Township, Lawrence, Merrill Creek Reservoir, Milford, Monmouth Junction, Morristown, Mt. Rose, Pennington, Princeton, Sourland Mountain. There’s an abundance of large parks and natural areas around Princeton.
New York counties: Suffolk
New York places: Stony Brook, LI
Ohio counties: Defiance, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Logan, Montgomery
Ohio places: Anderson Twp, Battelle Darby Park, Bellbrook, Centerville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Defiance, Delaware, Delhi Twp, Dublin, Fairfield, Galloway, Hamilton, Kettering, Lewisburg, Lockland, Miamisburg, Olmsted Falls, Oxford, Springfield, St. Bernard, West Carrollton, West Chester
Pennsylvania counties: Adams, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Columbia, County, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Schuylkill, Somerset, York
Pennsylvania places:Archbald, Artemas, Bedford, Carroll Valley, Coopersburg, Dinosaur Rock, Downingtown, Gettysburg, Green Lane, Kintnersville, Lake Nockamixon, Lancaster, Lititz, Malvern, Mertztown, Mohnton, Mt Gretna, Oaks, Oley, Perkasie, Perkiomenville, Phoenixville, Pittston, Quakertown, Red Lion, Roaring Spring, Solebury, Spring Mount, Stewartstown, Topton, Upper Black Eddy, Warwick Park
Tennessee counties: Blount, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Roane, Sumner, Wilson
Tennessee places: Copperhill, Farragut, Fayetteville, Knoxville, Oak Ridge.
Virginia counties: Arlington, Clarke, County, Dulles Smithsonian National Aircraft and Space Museum, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Shenandoah, Warren, Winchester
Virginia places: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Centreville, Chantilly, Clearbrook, Del Ray, Doswell, Dunn Loring, Fairfax, Falls Church, Franconia, Hampton Roads, Haymarket, Herndon, Lorton, Lovettsville, Manassas, Merrifield, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Vienna, White Post, Winchester.
West Virginia counties: Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan
West Virginia places: Martinsburg, New Creek
Washington D.C.

More Location Tips:

Reports of Brood X cicadas that emerged early in 2017.
County data is from the Cicada Central Periodical Cicada Record Database. Cities come from May 2004 reports and June 2004 reports.
Not sure? Ask someone in your community who lived there 17 years ago.

Why:

Why do they stay underground for 17-years? The prevailing research suggests they’ve evolved a long, 17-year lifecycle to avoid predators that can sync up with their lifecycle & emergence. Why are there so many?! Research suggests that their huge numbers allow them to overwhelm predators, so enough of them will live on to breed and perpetuate the brood.

More facts and fun:

1907 Map from Marlatt, C.L.. 1907. The periodical cicada. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology.

See a modern map, or the Live Map from the Cicada Safari app.
Marlatt 1907 10 Brood X

Comments (16)

January 1, 2021

Dan’s Cicada Diary for 1996

Filed under: Brood II | Cicada Mania | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 12:05 pm

Here’s something I wrote in 1996 to chronicle the Brood II cicada emergence in 1996. It’s probably meant to be semi humorous.

Dan’s Cicada Diary for 1996.

Sunday, May 19th: Metuchen, New Jersey; I found the first desiccated cicada nymph exoskeleton on my patio. My cat disappears. 

Tuesday, May 21st: I found about 40 nymph exoskeletons on my patio, a pine tree, and a maple tree. I also spotted an adult climbing the maple and two crippled adults rolling about the base of the tree. 

Wednesday, May 22nd: Bonanza! I found about 500 adults perched on just about everything in my yard: trees, patio furniture, the foundation of my home, the garden hose, garbage cans, the missing cat’s water dish, my hair…just plain everywhere! Gruesome! 
Saturday, May 25th: Avenel, New Jersey; Party at the Ritzow’s. Literally, hundreds of adult cicadas perched high above in oak trees sneer at decadent humans sipping martini’s, playing croquet. Bourgeois homo sapiens…bah humbug! 

Thursday, May 30th: Metuchen, New Jersey; Still no sign of the cat. Sitting outside on my patio around 8:30 pm I hear a “snap”, “crackle” and “popping” sound. Rice Crispies? No. More like cicadas nymphs crawling out of their holes and on to my garden wall to molt into adulthood. Not the loveliest sight. 

Saturday, June 1st: Westfield, New Jersey; Dave Wilson and Claire Adas’ wedding. A beautiful ceremony and reception, with the exception of the 9000 uninvited cicadas: crawling up people’s legs, crunching underfoot, landing in refreshments…a moment to cherish and remember! 

Tuesday, June 4th: North Edison, New Jersey; The cicadas have begun to sing! All together they sound like a Boeing 767 is circling 40 feet overhead. The sound is that awesome. 10 inch deep piles of dying post-coitus adults litter the base of trees. The invasion has only begun! 
Wednesday, June 5th – Monday, June 17th: Metuchen, North Edison, Colonia, Avenel, New Jersey; The invasion is in full effect! Homeowners in North Edison and Colonia report having to haul away the dying bodies of cicadas in wheelbarrows! Residents describe the cicadas’ combined mating screams as “loud as a UFO” [how do they know what a UFO sounds like?] and “like a Mack Truck was floating ten foot above your head”! Someone even told me cicadas taste like shrimp! I guess they made the best of a bad situation. 

Wednesday, June 26th: Metuchen, New Jersey; It appears the invasion is over. All that remains is the dismembered, rotting corpses and the memories, sweet, sweet, memories. But remember, They’ll be back…in the year 2013! 

Saturday, August 3rd: Metuchen, New Jersey; Looking out my second story window I can clearly see the damage done by the 17-year cicadas. Brown patches of dead leaves speckle local oak and maple trees, revealing the branches where the female cicada has chosen to lay her eggs; an interesting “natural disaster”, but, not as heart-breaking as an earth quake or a flood. Clearly the most provocative news regarding cicadas is the current hatch of annual cicadas, which are larger than the “17-year” cicadas (thoroughly illustrated within this web page) and greener. Another dissimilarity is the difference in their respective mating calls: while the “17-year” cicada makes a whirring sound somewhere between the motor of a vacuum cleaner and a car alarm, the “annual” cicada sounds more like a lawn sprinkler or maybe a sewing machine. Although I can clearly hear hundreds of “annual” cicadas and I have found their shells, I haven’t visually located a single one ! Another cicada related event has been the recent hatch of “cicada killer” wasps. These two-inch long giant wasps only prey upon, our friend, the defenseless cicada. I haven’t located these creatures either, but, they are definitely out there. Cicadas beware! 

Wednesday, August 26th: Metuchen, New Jersey; the Tibicen cicadas continue to sing… 

Wednesday, November 6th: Metuchen, New Jersey; they are all dead or sucking on roots underground. 

Comments (0)

The 17-Year Cicada – Something I wrote in 1997

Filed under: Cicada Mania | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 12:00 pm

This is from my “Cicada Humor” page from 1996-1997. It’s semi-humorous. For serious information visit the facts-only 17-year cicada page.

The 17-Year Cicada

Every 17 years a fearsome biological monstrosity drags its way to the surface of the earth. It comes only to mate and spawn; however, it imparts terror and disgust in the hearts and minds of every man, woman, child, and beast unfortunate enough to cross its path. This is no Hollywood fantasy, ladies and gentlemen, this creature is real, horribly real! Cast your trembling eyes upon mother nature’s most disturbing insectoid aberration…   T

he Cicada a.k.a. “The 17-Year Locust” 
July 17th, 1997 

Seriously, folks, the cicada isn’t a locust, it’s, well, a cicada (a member of the Homoptera order of insects). These charming creatures are best known for their intense mating call, which sounds more or less like a lawn sprinkler, or a miniature AH-64 Apache Black Helicopter. When 10,000 or so of these suckers start screaming in your neighborhood you’ll think you’re in the middle of Apocalypse Now. Now is the time! Depending on where you live, these heinous herbivores should be dive-bombing your friends and family any day now.

Actually, they are more likely to fall out of a tree than fly, but, rest assured, they will be landing somewhere on your body sometime soon.

I live in central New Jersey and right now we are up to our mandibles in a plague of these sap slurping oddities. Some breeds, including the green/yellow striped cicadas, rear their ugly heads every year, but, fortunately not in great numbers. The “periodic”, black-bodied, red-eyed, spawn of Beelzebub cicadas only present themselves once every 17 years; unfortunately, there are literally millions of them. Worst of all, they have a face, just like you or me!

Periodic cicadas live to be 17 years old (13 years in southern states), which means they’re the only insect that qualifies for a driver’s license in New Jersey. Actually, these creatures only spend two to four weeks of their lives as an adult. They spend the first 17 years underground sucking on roots! Exciting! Once the adults have mated, the female drills a hole in a tree branch with her butt (technically her ovipositor) and lays her eggs. The eggs soon hatch and the “nymphs” fall to the ground where they feed on root sap. As soon as the adults mate they croak and drop to the ground where they will decay and stink. If I were you I wouldn’t hang out under any trees this year. In the end, your best offense will be a shovel and a bucket, or, a hungry golden retriever.

Comments (0)

July 12, 2020

Chicago Area Periodical Cicada Emergences in 2020

Filed under: Accelerations | Brood XIII | Magicicada | Periodical Stragglers | United States — Dan @ 10:04 am

Many periodical cicadas emerged four years early in the Chicago area in 2020. These cicadas belong to the Brood XIII (13) which is set to emerge in 2024, and last emerged in 2007. Periodical cicadas often emerge in years proceeding or following the year their brood is expected to emerge. This phenomenon is called straggling. Most of the time these “stragglers” emerge in small numbers and are quickly eaten by predators, and do not go on to sing, chorus (synchronized singing for the purpose of attracting females), mate, and lay eggs. Sometimes they emerge in numbers large enough to survive, chorus and reproduce — this seems to have happened in the Chicago area in 2020. It is thought this this is how new broods formed over the millennia — cicadas emerge 4 or 1 year early in significant numbers and form a new brood. When enough stragglers emerge to successfully reproduce it is called an acceleration.

So, is a new brood forming around Chicago? Is this due to climate change or localized “heat islands”? Will the progeny of these stragglers emerge in 13, 17 or 21 years? Lots of questions — but we’ll need to wait quite some time to answer them.

There is a precedence for Brood XIII cicadas straggling in the Chicago area:

In 1969 massive numbers of periodical cicadas emerged in the Chicago suburbs ¹ (Williams, K.S. & Simon, C. 1995).

In 1986, another 4-year acceleration was observed in the Chicago area by Monte Lloyd ¹.

In 2003, many people left observations on our forums. Observations were made in Glenview, Flossmoor, Riverside, Downers Grove, Homewood, Westmont, Oak Park, and Hinsdale. Here are some examples:

Magicicada emerging this evening

Date: Wednesday, Jun/4/2003

Message: As I went for a walk this evening I noticed quite a few periodic cicadas emerging in the grass, crawling on the sidewalks and on the trunks of trees. This is not our year for the 17-year brood. We should not have them until 2007. Has anyone else in the Chicago area seen these cicadas? — Sue, Flossmoor, IL

Cicada singing

Date: Monday, Jun/9/2003

Message: I heard the cicadas singing for the first time this morning after my walk. Now that I have my doors open I can hear them on and off. — Sue, Flossmoor, IL

In 2020 many people left comments on the Brood XIII page, emailed us (thanks Neil) and left sightings via the Cicada Safari app.

¹Williams, K.S. & Simon, C. 1995. The Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution of Periodical Cicadas. Annual Review of Entomology. Vol. 40:269-295 (https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.40.010195.001413).

Comments (5)

May 27, 2020

Where will 17 & 13 Year Periodical Cicada Broods emerge next?

Skip to a section: Broods | Your Town | Pre Emergence Signs | Magicicada Species.

17 & 13 Year Periodical Cicadas

🛑 This page is strictly for Magicicada periodical cicadas, aka 17 & 13-year cicadas, aka "locusts" (read why they’re called locusts).This does not cover annual cicada species in North America and other parts of the world.

News

📅 Brood X will emerge in the spring of 2021. Some precursors (stragglers) from Brood XIV should emerge as well.

Researchers need your help! If you see a cicada, please report it using the Cicada Safari App 📱, available for Android and Apple phones. See a Live Map of sightings.

Magicicada Brood Chart

The Brood Chart features the names of the broods (Roman numerals), their life cycle length, when they will emerge next, which states they’ll emerge in, links to Maps, the species that will emerge, and other information. Click the maps for larger, detailed maps.

Brood	17 or 13	Year	Stragglers Probable	States & Species
I (1)	17	1961, 1978, 1995, 2012, 2029	2025 (-4), 2028 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: TN, VA, WV
II (2)	17	1962, 1979, 1996, 2013, 2030	2026 (-4), 2029 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: CT, GA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OK, PA, VA
III (3)	17	1963, 1980, 1997, 2014, 2031	2027 (-4), 2030 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: IA, IL, MO
IV (4)	17	1964, 1981, 1998, 2015, 2032	2028 (-4), 2031 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: IA, KS, MO, NE, OK, TX
V (5)	17	1965, 1982, 1999, 2016, 2033	2029 (-4), 2032 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: LI NY, MD, OH, PA, VA, WV
VI (6)	17	1966, 1983, 2000, 2017, 2034	2030 (-4), 2933 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. septendecula. States: GA, NC, SC, WI, OH
VII (7)	17	1967, 1984, 2001, 2018, 2035	2031 (-4), 2034 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim. States: NY
VIII (8)	17	1968, 1985, 2002, 2019, 2036	2032 (-4), 2035 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: OH, PA, WV and OK
IX (9)	17	1952, 1969, 1986, 2003, 2020	2033 (-4), 2036 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: NC, VA, WV
X (10)	17	1953, 1970, 1987, 2004, 2021	2020 (-1), 2034 (-4), 2037 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, Washington
XIII (13)	17	1956, 1973, 1990, 2007, 2024	2020 (-4), 2023 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini. States: IA, IL, IN, MI, WI
XIV (14)	17	1957, 1974, 1991, 2008, 2025	2021 (-4), 2024 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV
XIX (19)	13	1972, 1985, 1998, 2011, 2024	2020 (-4), 2023 (-1)	Species: M. tredecim, M. neotredecim, M. tredecassini, M. tredecula. States: AL, AR, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, VA
XXII (22)	13	1975, 1988, 2001, 2014, 2027	2023 (-4), 2026 (-1)	Species: M. tredecim, M. tredecassini, M. tredecula. States: KY, LA, MS, OH
XXIII (23)	13	1976, 1989, 2002, 2015, 2028	2024 (-4), 2027 (-1)	Species: M. tredecim, M. neotredecim, M. tredecassini, M. tredecula. States: AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, TN

When will they emerge?

📅 🌡️ Generally speaking, these cicadas will begin to emerge when the soil 8″ beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit (Heath, 1968). A nice, warm rain will often trigger an emergence. They typically emerge in May but have been known to emerge in late April or early June. It all depends on the weather.

What should you look for before they emerge?

Chimneys / Turrets

Look for cicada chimneys a.k.a. turrets. These are structures cicadas build out of the soil, positioned above the hole where they will emerge.

Chimney

Holes

Look for holes the diameter of an adult’s finger near the root system of a tree. These are sure signs that cicadas will emerge in the area.

Holes

Cicadas Under Stones & Slates

You might discover some cicada nymphs while turning over stones or when performing landscaping chores.

Cicada tunneling under slate

What do they look like when they emerge:

Here is a great video of Magicicada nymphs once they have emerged from the ground:

This is a recently emerged nymph crawling up a tree. Note that its eyes are red.

Nymph

Once cicadas nymphs have emerged from the ground, they will try to find a tree (or similar vertical surface), and then begin the process of shedding their old nymph skins (ecdysis), expanding their wings, and changing to their adult coloring. Watch this amazing transformation.

Teneral

How to tell the difference between the seven Magicicada species:

The first way is based on the Brood. Take a look at the Brood chart above, and see which species appear with the Brood.

There are 3 basic types of Magicicada: “‘Decims”, “‘Cassini” and “‘Deculas”.

“Decims” aka Pharaoh Cicadas

There are three species in this category:

Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus, 1758). 17-year life cycle. Broods: I-X, XIII, XIV.
Magicicada neotredecim Marshall and Cooley 2000. 13-year life cycle. Broods: XIX, XXIII.
Magicicada tredecim (Walsh and Riley, 1868). 13-year life cycle. Brood: XIX, XXII, XXIII.

Their songs are very similar, however, when M. neotredecim & M. tredecim emerge in the same location, M. neotredecim’s song takes a higher pitch. Sounds like “Pharaoh, Pharaoh!”.

Visual Appearance:

M. septendecim
Male on left; Female on right.

M. neotredecim & M. septendecim have broad orange stripes with more orange than black on their abdomens.

M. tredecim, by comparison, have almost entirely orange abdomens.

eye to wing
M. septendecim also have an area of orange coloring between the eye and the wing (pronotal extension).

“Cassini” aka Dwarf Cicadas

There are two species in this category:

Magicicada cassini (Fisher, 1851). 17-year life cycle. Broods: I-V, VIII-X, XIII, XIV.
Magicicada tredecassini Alexander and Moore, 1962. 13-year life cycle. Broods: XIX, XXII, XXII.

Their songs are essentially identical:

M. cassini Call and Court:

Note how it makes a quick burst of sound, followed by some rapid clicks.

Visual Appearance:

Female on left; Male on right.
M. tredecassin & M. cassini have black abdomens with virtually no orange at all. Orange stripes are possible in the mid-west (important to note for Brood IV).

“Decula”

There are two species in this category:

Magicicada septendecula Alexander and Moore, 1962. 17-year life cycle. Broods: I-VI, VIII-X, XIII, XIV.
Magicicada tredecula Alexander and Moore, 1962. 13-year life cycle. Broods: XIX, XXII, XXIII.

Their songs are essentially identical:

M. tredecula Call:

Note the “tick, tick, tick” rhythm of the call.

Visual Appearance:

Female on left; Male on right.
M. septendecula & M. tredecula have stripes that feature more black than orange. Otherwise, they’re very similar to M. cassini.

How to figure out if they’re coming to your town?

Verify that they’re coming to your state. Check the Magicicada Brood Chart on this page.
Check Cicada Brood Maps linked from this page to see if they’re coming to your general area.
Check to see if they’re coming to your neighborhood. Good sources include:
1. Check the Cicada Central Magicicada Database to see the counties where cicadas have appeared in the past.
2. Ask someone who lived there 17 (or 13) years before.
3. Old timers (hint: old timers usually call them locusts).
4. Check your local Library for old newspaper articles.
5. Check with a local college: contact the entomology, forestry, or agriculture-related departments.
6. Your local national, state, county and town parks department (parks and rec). Some county parks departments plan events around cicada emergences.
When will they emerge?
1. They will emerge sometime in the Spring, for sure.
2. They typically emerge once the soil 8 inches (20 cm) below the surface gets to 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celcius). At that temperature, they will start digging their tunnels to the surface. After a couple of days with above-ground temperatures near the 80’s F, and after a good rain, they will definitely emerge. Read this paper for more info: Thermal Synchronization of Emergence in Periodical “17-year” Cicadas (Homoptera, Cicadidae, Magicicada) by James Edward Heath, American Midland Naturalist, Vol. 80, No. 2. (Oct., 1968), pp. 440-448.
3. Cicadas in sunny areas of your yard will emerge before cicadas in shady areas.
4. Cicadas in the southern-most states will emerge before cicadas in northern states.
5. You can try the Cicada Emergence Formula as well.
If you don’t want them do damage your young / ornamental trees
1. Spray them off with a garden hose.
2. Foil around the trunk (to keep them from crawling up) (thanks Deborah).
3. Insect barrier tape.
4. Netting placed around & over the tree. “Insect barrier netting”. “Fruit tree covers”.
5. Bagpipes (no joke, it worked at my friend’s wedding).
6. Don’t use pesticide – we like all insects (especially pollinating bees).
Are you scared of insects?
- Unlike some other insects & arthropods. cicadas are not poisonous or venomous.
- Try a hat, an umbrella, a bee-keepers’ outfit, a suit of armor…
They’re coming, and they’re going to ruin my wedding!
- Try our Cicada Wedding Planner

Questions about the Brood Chart

Question: Why do I have cicadas in my neighborhood, but your chart indicates that I shouldn’t?

Answer: Some possibilities: 1) they are stragglers, periodical cicadas that emerge too soon or late, 2) they are not periodical cicadas, but are a different North American species, 3) you live on a continent other than North America, in which case, try one of these pages, or 4) SURPRISE! The U.S. is a big place and some cicada populations have yet to be documented.

Question: Why don’t I have periodical cicadas in my area, but the information on your website indicates that I should?

Answer: Two possibilities: 1) they went extinct or otherwise died off in your area, or 2) they aren’t everywhere in a state – normally there are large gaps in their range.

Question: What are stragglers?

Answer: Stragglers can emerge 1 or 4 years early or 1 or 4 years late. Don’t be surprised if you see some periodical cicadas emerge earlier than planned this year. 17-year brood members are most likely to straggle 4 years early, and 13-year brood members are most likely to straggle 4 years late. Straggler probability chart.

Question: Why are there no Brood XI, XII, XV, XVI… ?

Answer: Perhaps you’ve noticed there are no Broods XI (11), XII (12), XV (15), XVI (16), XVII (17), XVIII (18), XX (20), XXI (21), XXIV (24), etc. Don’t worry about that. They never existed or are extinct (XI, XXI).

More Magicicada websites:

For much more information about 17-year cicadas visit Magicicada.org. The maps on this page link to that site.
The Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices 📱. Use it to see where people are finding cicadas, and to report your own sightings.
Check the Cicada Central Magicicada Database to see the counties where cicadas have appeared in the past. For more information about this database and cicada research in general, visit the Simon Lab website.

More Magicicada Information

Comments (39)

April 29, 2020

Magicicadas emerging early in 2020, Stragglers from other Broods

Filed under: Accelerations | Magicicada | Periodical Stragglers — Dan @ 6:56 pm

In 2020, the main periodical cicada brood expected to emerge in the U.S. is Brood IX (9). Brood IX will emerge in southern West Virginia, western Virginia, and a small portion of north-western North Carolina. This we know for sure.

If you want to see where cicadas are being reported, try the Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices 📱.

OK, here’s the point of this article:

Surprise Stragglers

Cicadas from other broods will also emerge this year in small numbers. When cicadas emerge early or late, they’re called stragglers. Don’t get hung up on the meaning of the word. If it makes you happy, call the ones that emerge early “precursors”, “pioneers”, or “heralds”.

Members of Brood XIX (19) are emerging in parts of North Carolina and Georgia, where Brood XIX is know to exist. There’s some discussion of this over on the Cicada Discussion, Science and Study Group on Facebook. You might see them in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Lousiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The rest of Brood XIX will emerge in 2024. Here’s a map.

Here’s a paper that discusses 13-year Magicicada emerging 4 years early: David C. Marshall, Kathy B. R. Hill, and John R. Cooley “Multimodal Life-Cycle Variation in 13- and 17-Year Periodical Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Magicicada),” Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 90(3), 211-226, (1 July 2017). https://doi.org/10.2317/0022-8567-90.3.211

Members of Brood XIII (13) are likely to emerge 4 years early in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and possibly Michigan.

The rest of Brood XIII emerge in 2024 (a big year for periodical cicadas). Here’s a map.

Some members of Brood X (10) should emerge 1 year early in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.

The rest of Brood X will emerge next year in 2021. Here’s a map.

Here’s a screen shot from the Cicada Safari app:

May 30 map - Now with Brood V

Within the app, you can zoom in to see where the cicadas are appearing. Here’s a “Live Map” of the sightings from the app.Pinch and zoom to get details.

Comments (9)

April 18, 2020

Brood IX (9) will emerge in 2020 in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia

Filed under: Brood IX | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 1:03 am

Periodical cicada Brood IX (9) emerged in the spring of 2020 in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The last time this brood emerged was in 2003. It will emerge again in 2037.

Researchers need your help! If you see a cicada, please report it using the Cicada Safari App 📱, available for Android and Apple phones.

Brood IX is interesting to researchers because it’s located very close to 5 other broods. In a normal year, researchers would be able to drive the roads of the area and map the location of the brood so we can get data as to where the broods intersect, but because of the current situation in the U.S., most if not all researchers will be able to travel — so we need you to let us know where they’re at. Read more on Magicicada.org.

What, when, where, and why:

What:

Adult, Nymph, Molting Cicada

Cicada insects with a 17-year life cycle.
Some people call them “locusts” but they’re really cicadas.
Which species: All three 17-year species, Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini and Magicicada septendecula. How to tell the difference between the species.
NOT the green ones that arrive annually.

📅🌡️ When: Typically beginning in mid-May and ending in late June. These cicadas will begin to emerge approximately when the soil 8″ beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit (Heath, 1968). A nice, warm rain will often trigger an emergence.

Other tips: these cicadas will emerge after the trees have grown leaves, and, by my own observation, around the same time Iris flowers bloom.

🗺️ 🇺🇸 Where:

Virginia municipalities: Blacksburg, Bland, Callands, Christiansburg, Covington, Dry Pond, Ferrum, Martinsville, Roanoke, Salem, Vinton, and more.
Virginia counties: Allegheny, Bland, Franklin, Henry, Montgomery, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Roanoke.
North Carolina municipalities: Chestnut Hill, Ennice, Francisco, Hays, Kernersville, McGrady, Millers Creek, Mt Airy, North Wilkesboro, Purlear, Thurmond, Westfield, and more.
North Carolina counties: Ashe, Alleghany, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes.
West Virginia municipalities: Camp Creek , Elmhurst, Hinton, Jumping Branch, Spanishburg, and more.
West Virginia counties: Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Pocahontas, Summers.

A quick tip using data from the Cicada Safari app team:

Cicadas in the north-west areas are Brood IX (red). Cicadas south & east of that area (purple) are Brood XIX emerging early.

Maps, Apps, and Tips:

Magicicada.org has the most up to date maps.
📱 The Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices. Use it to see where people are finding cicadas, and to report your own sightings.
Historical county data is from the Cicada Central Periodical Cicada Record Database. Cities come from May 2003 reports and June 2003 reports.
Not sure? Ask someone in your community who lived there 17 years ago.

Why: Why do they stay underground for 17-years? The prevailing research suggests they’ve evolved a long, 17-year lifecycle to avoid predators that can sync up with their lifecycle & emergence. Why are there so many?! Research suggests that their huge numbers allow them to overwhelm predators, so enough of them will live on to breed and perpetuate the brood.

More facts and fun:

1907 Map from Marlatt, C.L.. 1907. The periodical cicada. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology.

The larger dots are valid. Tiny dots, no. See a modern map, or the Live Map from the Cicada Safari app.
Marlatt 1907 09 Brood IX

Comments (134)

Brood XIII (13) will emerge in 2024 in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana

Filed under: Brood XIII | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 1:02 am

Some Brood XIII “stragglers” emerged early in 2020. If you see a cicada and want to report it, the Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices 📱.

A particularly large amount of Brood XIII cicadas are emerging early this year. Here’s a news article and a note from the Illinois Extension. Thanks Neil for the links.

One thing that is important to determine is whether any of the off-schedule populations (especially the 4-year early and 4-year late ones) are large enough to persist and lay eggs. The big question is will they establish a new population? Please send photos of cicadas laying eggs. And if egg laying is extensive enough to damage branches, please send photos of that as well!

Some Brood XIII cicadas are emerging 4 years early, particularly in the Chicago area in 2020. Blue in the map below:

May 30 map - Now with Brood V

Periodical cicada Brood XIII (13) will emerge in the spring of 2024 in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and possibly Michigan. The last time this brood emerged was in 2007.

Special note: Brood XIX (19) will also emerge in 2024.

What, when, where, and why:

What:

Millions of these:
Adult, Nymph, Molting Cicada

Cicada insects with a 17-year life cycle.
Some people call them “locusts” but they’re really cicadas.
Which species: All three 17-year species, Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini and Magicicada septendecula. How to tell the difference between the species.
NOT the green ones that arrive annually.

When: Typically beginning in mid-May and ending in late June. These cicadas will begin to emerge approximately when the soil 8″ beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit. A nice, warm rain will often trigger an emergence.

Other tips: these cicadas will emerge after the trees have grown leaves, and, by my own observation, around the same time Iris flowers bloom.

Where:

Magicicada.org has the most up to date maps.

Illinois places: Belvidere, Brookfield, Channahon, Chicago, Des Plaines River Trail, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Flossmoor, Geneva, Glen Ellyn, Highland Park, Hinsdale , Homewood, La Grange , Lagrange Woods, Lake Forest, Lansing, Lincolnshire, Lisle, Lombard, MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve, Marseilles, McHenry, McKinley Woods, Morton Arboretum, Naperville, Northbrook, Ogden, Ottawa, Palos Heights, River Forest , River Grove, Romeoville, Schiller Park, Thornton, Vernon Hills, Villa Park, Weaton, Western Springs, Westmont, Wonder Lake, and more.
Illinois counties: Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Cook, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Kankakee, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, Mason, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Peoria, Putnam, Sangamon, Stark, Tazewell, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, Woodford.
Iowa places: Atalissa, Solon, and more.
Iowa counties: Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Cedar, Dubuque, Henry, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott, Tama.
Wisconsin places: Aurora University, Big Foot Beach State Park, Lake Geneva, Moraine Nature Preserve, and more.
Wisconsin counties: Crawford, Grant, Green. Rock, Walworth.
Indiana places: Crown Point, Portage, Purdue-North Central, Valparaiso, and more.
Indiana counties: LaPorte, Porter, Lake.
Michigan: According to Magicicada.org, Magicicada have been found along the border of Michigan and Indiana.

More Location Tips:

County data is from the Cicada Central Periodical Cicada Record Database. Cities come from May 2007 reports and June 2007 reports.
Not sure? Ask someone in your community who lived there 17 years ago.

More facts and fun:

1907 Map from Marlatt, C.L.. 1907. The periodical cicada. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology.

See a modern map, or the Live Map from the Cicada Safari app.
Marlatt 1907 13 Brood XIII

Comments (29)

April 14, 2020

Magicicada tredecula Alexander and Moore, 1962

Filed under: Lamotialnini | Magicicada | Periodical | United States — Tags: M. tredecula — Dan @ 8:50 pm

Magicicada tredecula Alexander and Moore, 1962

Magicicada tredecula 2014 Ohio

Song type: Chorus

Song type: Call

Identification Tips

Smaller than M. neotredecim & M. tredecim. Orange stripes on its abdomen, through not as much as M. neotredecim & M. tredecim. Its chorus sounds like a ticking clock. Very similar to the 17-year M. septendecula.

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

Brood Chart

Magicicada tredecula has a 13-year lifecycle.

Brood	Year	States
XIX (19)	1972, 1985, 1998, 2011, 2024	AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, VA
XXII (22)	1975, 1988, 2001, 2014, 2027	KY, LA, MS, OH
XXIII (23)	1976, 1989, 2002, 2015, 2028	AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, TN

Name, Location and Description

Cicada Name: Magicicada tredecula Alexander and Moore, 1962
Short Name: M. tredecula
Common Name: 13-Year Cicada or 13-Year Decula
When: May-June. Peak in June. Every 13 years.
Where it is found: AL, AR, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, VA
Maps: Map
Description: Black body with orange wings and legs. Orange stripes on abdomen.
Eye Color: reddish orange
Pronotal Collar Color: black
Identification: Bug Guide
Subject Matter Expert website: Magicicada.org
Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Song: Magicicada.org

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Lamotialnini
Subtribe: Tryellina
Genus: Magicicada
Species: Magicicada tredecula Alexander and Moore, 1962

List of sources

Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
Locations: Magicicada.org.
Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al. A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification. Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1–64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1

Notes:

Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

Comments (0)

Magicicada tredecim (Walsh and Riley, 1868)

Filed under: Lamotialnini | Magicicada | Periodical | United States — Tags: M. tredecim — Dan @ 8:30 pm

Magicicada tredecim (Walsh and Riley, 1868).

Magicicada tredecim (Walsh and Riley, 1868)
Photo credit: by Dan Mozgai. Ohio.

All Magicicada tredecim information and images on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call

Identification tips:

Similar to M. neotredecim, but the abdomen is typically more orange — these species overlap in limited areas, in which M. tredecim maintains the normal pitch of its call, and M. neotredecim raises its pitch. Read more on Magicicada.org. Larger than M. tredecassini and M. tredecula.

Brood chart

Magicicada tredecim has a 13-year life cycle.

Brood	Year	States
XIX (19)	1972, 1985, 1998, 2011, 2024	AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, VA
XXII (22)	1975, 1988, 2001, 2014, 2027	KY, LA, MS, OH
XXIII (23)	1976, 1989, 2002, 2015, 2028	AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, TN

Name, Location and Description

Cicada Name: Magicicada tredecim (Walsh and Riley, 1868)
Short Name: M. tredecim
Common Name: 13-Year Cicada or 13-Year Decim
When: May-June. Peak in June. Every 13 years.
Where it is found: AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, VA
Maps: Map
Description: Black body with orange wings and legs. Orange stripes on abdomen. Orange between eye and wing.
Eye Color: reddish orange
Pronotal Collar Color: black
Identification: Bug Guide
Subject Matter Expert website: Magicicada.org
Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Song: Magicicada.org

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Lamotialnini
Subtribe: Tryellina
Genus: Magicicada
Species: Magicicada tredecim (Walsh and Riley, 1868)

List of sources

Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
Locations: Magicicada.org
Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al. A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification. Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1–64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1

Notes:

Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

Comments (2)