Periodical Stragglers - Cicada Mania

May 8, 2022

Magicicada stragglers found in 2022

Filed under: Magicicada | Periodical Stragglers — Dan @ 7:26 am

Here’s the latest map of stragglers from Gene for June 1st:

June 1 map

Gene Kristsky let us know that people are finding Magicada stragglers and reporting them on iNaturalist. It looks like most of the stragglers are in the Brood XIX area currently, but as temperatures warm, we might see others from other Broods.

Be on the lookout in 2022 (or any year)! Any place you see a red dot is a possibility. Even central Massachusettes (former home of Brood XI) and Ontario — maybe so.

Possbile Straggler Locations

Straggler-related facts:

What is a Magicicada:
A Magicicada is a genus of cicada that lives in the United States that typically emerges in 17 or 13-year cycles depending on the species.

They look like this:
Brood X header

What is a Brood:
A Brood is a numbered group of Magicicada cicadas that emerge in a specific series of years.
Example: Brood X (X is the Roman numeral for 10) emerges every 17 years, i.e. 2021, 2038, 2055, etc.

What is a Straggler:
A Straggler is a Magicicada that emerges earlier or later than anticipated.
Example: If a Brood XIX (13-year, next due in 2024) cicada emerges in 2022, we can say it is a straggler that emerged 2 years early.
Stragglers that emerge earlier than expected have also been called “precursors” (Marlatt 1898). I also call them “pioneers”.

Comments (24)

October 29, 2021

The next 17 years of periodical cicadas

Filed under: Periodical | Periodical Stragglers — Dan @ 7:48 pm

In 2021, Brood X emerged in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York (not yet extinct), Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. But, what about the next 17 years?

Some stages of a Magicicada’s life cycle: Top, Left to Right: cicada egg (Troutman), freshly hatched nymph (Troutman), second and third instar nymphs (Bonaros). Bottom, Left to Right: fourth instar nymph, teneral adult, adult. (Mozgai).

Here’s a list of periodical cicada emergences for the next seventeen years, including Magicicada in the United States, Chremistica ribhoi in India, and Raiateana knowlesi in Fiji.

2022: World Cup World Cup Cicada time

No Magicicada broods will emerge. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers.

The World Cup Cicada, Chremistica ribhoi, will emerge in India. Learn more about Chremistica ribhoi which has a 4-year cycle that synchronizes with the football/soccer World Cup.

2023: the Quiet Year

No Magicicada broods will emerge. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers.

Enjoy your local annual cicada species.

2024: the Big Year

Two Magicicada Broods, Brood XIII and Brood XIX (the Great Southern Brood) will emerge in the United States. Brood XIII has a 17-year cycle and is found in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Brood XIX has a 13-year cycle and is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. That’s 19 states of periodical cicadas!

Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere as well.

2025: Brood XIV and the Nanai in Fiji

17-year Magicicada Brood XIV will emerge is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Possible undocumented spurious Magicicada broods and stragglers elsewhere as well. Most likely 4-year precursors from Brood I.

A periodical cicada with an 8-year cycle will emerge in Fiji: the Nanai aka Raiateana knowlesi.

2026: Stragglers and World Cup

Some 4-year precursors/stragglers from Brood II, will “make a buzz” in the news as Brood II emerges in heavily populated areas of New Jersey and Staten Island New York. Possible undocumented spurious Magicicada broods and stragglers elsewhere as well.

The World Cup Cicada, Chremistica ribhoi, will emerge in India again. Learn more about Chremistica ribhoi. World Cup

2027: super-cool Brood 22

13-year Magicicada Brood XXII will emerge in Ohio, Kentucky, Lousiana, and Mississippi.

Some Brood III straggersvwill emerge in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Possible undocumented spurious Magicicada broods and stragglers elsewhere as well.

2028: The Mississippi Valley Brood

13-year Magicicada Brood XXIII, the Mississippi Valley Brood, will emerge in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Lousiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Some Brood IV stragglers will emerge in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

2029: The Shenandoah Valley Brood

17-year Magicicada Brood I, aka the Shenandoah Valley Brood, will emerge in Tennesee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Some Brood V stragglers will emerge in Long Island, New York, western Maryland, eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, most of West Virginia, and northern Virginia. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

2030: The Lesser Eastern Brood

17-year Magicicada Brood II, the Lesser Eastern Brood, will emerge in Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennslyvania, and Virginia. This brood gets a lot of attention because it emerges in heavily-populated New Jersey and Staten Island New York.

Some Brood VI stragglers will emerge in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Ohio. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

The World Cup Cicada, Chremistica ribhoi, will emerge in India. World Cup

2031: The Iowan Brood

17-year Magicicada Brood III, the Iowan Brood, will emerge in Iowa, Illnois, and Missouri.

Some Brood VII stragglers will emerge in Onondaga County, New York. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

2032: The Kansan Brood

17-year Magicicada Brood IV, the Kansan Brood, will emerge in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Some Brood VIII stragglers will emerge in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, Hancock county West Virginia, and part of Oklahoma. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

2033: fantastic Brood 5 and the Nanai.

17-year Magicicada Brood V will emerge in Long Island, New York, western Maryland, eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, most of West Virginia, and northern Virginia.

Some Brood IX stragglers will emerge in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

The Nanai aka Raiateana knowlesi will emerge in Fiji.

2034: splendid Brood 6, some Brood 10 stragglers, and the World Cup Cicada

17-year Magicicada Brood VI will emerge in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, and maybe New York (and maybe Oklahoma).

Some Brood X stragglers will emerge, typically in areas with dense populations like Princeton, NJ. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

The World Cup Cicada, Chremistica ribhoi, will emerge in India. World Cup

Dan is 65 and can retire. But retire from Cicadas?! Never!

2035: The Onondaga Brood

17-year Magicicada Brood VII will emerge in Onondaga County, New York.

Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

2036: great Brood 8

17-year Magicicada Brood VIII will emerge in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, Hancock county West Virginia, and part of Oklahoma.

Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

2037: Brood 9, Brood 19 and some Brood 13 stragglers

17-year Magicicada Brood IX will emerge in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Brood XIX has a 13-year cycle and is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Some Brood XIII stragglers will emerge in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

2038: the Great Eastern Brood X is Back!

17-year Magicicada Brood X cicadas will emerge in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York (not yet extinct), Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.

Some Brood XIV stragglers will emerge 4 years early in Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Possible undocumented spurious broods and stragglers elsewhere.

The World Cup Cicada, Chremistica ribhoi, will emerge in India. World Cup.

Comments (0)

February 4, 2021

Aside from Brood X, what else is happening with cicadas in the U.S.

Filed under: Magicicada | Periodical | Periodical Stragglers — Dan @ 9:21 pm

Aside from Brood X, what else is happening in terms of Periodical cicadas?

Expect some early-emerging cicadas from Brood XIV, showing up 4 years early. Brood XIV exists in Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusettes, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.
There might be some 1-year stragglers form Brood IX. Brood IX is in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
There might be some 4-year stragglers from Brood VI. Brood VI is found in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Oklaholma. And Ohio?Brood VI is a weird one.

Comments (1)

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 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.

The next major emergences are Brood XIII (17-year) and Brood XIX (13-year) in 2024. The last time these broods co-emerged was 1803.

Magicicada Chorus. Recorded in New Jersey, Brood X (2004) by Dan Mozgai:

News

Magicicada stragglers are emerging in 2022. Click here to see where.

Brood XIII (13) and Brood XIX (19) will both emerge in 2024. See you then!

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	1969, 1986, 2003, 2020, 2037	2033 (-4), 2036 (-1)	Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: NC, VA, WV
X (10)	17	1970, 1987, 2004, 2021, 2038	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 in 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:

Left to right: Magicicada cassini, Magicicada septendecula, Magicicada septendecim:

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 cicadas 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 cicadas 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 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 southernmost 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 pesticides – 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 Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org). The maps on this page link to that site.
The Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices ðŸ“±. Use it to see where people are finding cicadas, and to report your 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 (57)

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 ðŸ“±.

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)

March 28, 2020

Brood X Stragglers from 2017 in Princeton

Filed under: Brood X | Magicicada | Periodical Stragglers | Photos & Illustrations — Tags: M. cassini — Dan @ 6:25 pm

Photos of Brood X stragglers in Princeton, New Jersey, from back in 2017. The rest of the brood will emerge in 2021.

Magicicada cassini with mosaic pigment mutation:

Female M. cassini. Notice the all-black abdomen:
Female M. cassini Princeton NJ 2017

Cicada skins and Albert Einstein:

Close up!

Magicicada cassini:
Magicicada cassini; Brood X straggler

Comments (1)

March 27, 2020

A Brood V Straggler from 2015 taken by Matt Berger

Filed under: Brood V | Magicicada | Matt Berger | Periodical Stragglers | Photos & Illustrations — Tags: M. septendecim — Dan @ 4:40 pm

These are photos of a Brood V Magicicada straggler from 2015 taken in West Virginia taken by Matt Berger. This Magicicada septendecim emerged one year early.

The original photos are BIG; click/tap the images to see the large versions.

Comments (0)

March 16, 2020

Brood XIX stragglers in NC, 2010

Filed under: Brood XIX | Magicicada | Periodical Stragglers — Tags: M. tredecassini — Dan @ 5:38 pm

Magicicada tredecassini by Lenny Lampel Natural Resources Coordinator Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Charlotte, NC. 2010.

Magicicada tredecassini (abdomen), Lower McAlpine Greenway 051010 (by Lenny Lampel):

Magicicada tredecassini, Lower McAlpine Greenway 051010 (by Lenny Lampel):

Magicicada tredecassini exuvia, Lower McAlpine Greenway 051010 (by Lenny Lampel):

Magicicada tredecassini exuvia on spicebush, Lower McAlpine Greenway 051010 (by Lenny Lampel):

Comments (1)

May 11, 2019

2019 Periodical Cicada Stragglers – Expect Them

Filed under: Periodical Stragglers — Dan @ 9:06 am

Where is everyone?

We expect some periodical cicadas to emerge earlier and later than expected this year:

Members of Brood IV, the Kansan Brood, should emerge in IA, KS, MO, NE, OK & TX. Brood IV last emerged 4 years ago.
Members of Brood XXIII, the Mississippi Valley Brood, should emerge in AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, & TN. XIX last emerged 4 years ago.
Members of Brood X are emerging, so far in the Virginia area, but they have the potential to emerge anywhere in DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, and WV. 2-year early emergences are rare, but it happens. Brood X is expected to emerge in 2 years.

We’re getting a lot of reports from the Anacostia area of Washington D.C. and Maryland.

Here’s an example of someone Tweeting about a Brood X “straggler” on Twitter.

Cicada emergent #AnacostiaRiver pic.twitter.com/PqghrPQwVT

— Jenny M Glenn (@JMGconsult) May 10, 2019

Use the Cicada Safari App to report them.

Periodical cicadas are cicadas insects that emerge periodically, and not annually. In North America, there are 7 species of periodical cicadas, 3 of which have a 17-year lifecycle, and 4 have a 13-year lifecycle, and all 7 belong to the genus Magicicada. Here is a chart that shows where they are expected to emerge next. Magicicada regularly straggle — some emerge before or after they’re expected to.

Typically 17-year cicada stragglers emerge 4 years early, and 13-year cicada stragglers emerge 4 years late, but 1, 2 and even 8 year deviations are possible — see the probability chart.

At this point, most people question the use of the term “straggler” to define something that emerged early rather than late. If you’re uncomfortable using the term “straggler”, you can use the term “precursor” for cicadas than emerge earlier than expected. You might make up your own slang for them, like “deviant”, “pioneer” or “laggard” too.

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