Renowned cicada researcher Gene Kritsky, PhD., has a new book out: Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition. It is available for Kindle and paperback on Amazon.com. Now’s the time to get it.
Gene is also has a new link for the Cicada Safari App.
March 21, 2021
March 3, 2021
Seventeen Year Cicadas, a song by George Peter Block, Jr.
Here’s a song titled Seventeen Year Cicadas by George Peter Block, Jr,:
February 4, 2021
Aside from Brood X, what else is happening with cicadas in the U.S.
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.
January 24, 2021
70,000 Magicicada cicadas = one adult American?
I was wondering how much an adult Magicicada weighs. According to Richard Karban’s paper “Transient habitats limit development time for periodical cicadas,” a female Magicicada septendecim weighs approximately 1.2 grams. (Karban, R. (2014), Transient habitats limit development time for periodical cicadas. Ecology, 95: 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1518.1)
According to the CDC website, the average adult American human weighs 84051 grams.
That means the average adult weighs as much as 70,043 Magicicada cicadas.
Image unrelated:
Cicadas @ UCONN, a new Cicada website
Magicicada.org was an amazing website filled with information about Magicicada periodical cicadas and backed by cicada expert, John Cooley.
The site now has a new address and look: Cicadas @ UCONN (https://cicadas.uconn.edu/). Bookmark it in preparation for the 2021 Brood X emergence.
UCONN (University of Connecticut) has other cicada websites such as The Simon Lab and Cicada Central.
January 9, 2021
Periodical cicada Brood X (10) will emerge in 15 states 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. Report them with the Cicada Safari app. Use the hashtag #BroodX or #BroodXCicadas on social media.
LATEST NEWS:
Enjoy this video from 2021:
12/27/21: Dr. Gene Kritsky’s retrospective on the 2021 Brood X emergence has been published on the America Entomologist website.
In the news:
- NJ.com: Cicadas invade N.J. town where aliens landed in ‘War of the Worlds’.
- New York Times: The Case of the Disappearing Cicadas
- Bloomberg CityLab: To Map Billions of Cicadas, it Takes Thousands of Citizen Scientists
- NJ.com: Big 2021 cicada invasion hasn’t started yet in N.J., but some early cicadas have arrived
- Washington Post: Get ready! We predict cicadas will begin emerging next week.
- c|net: Billions of bugs: Meet the cicada chasers trailing Brood X.
- Fstoppers: Photographers Should Put This on Their Calendar Right Now: The Brood X Cicada Storm in Eastern U.S.
Interesting merch:
- A nice Magicicada pin by Carolyn Belefski
- A Brood X Cicada Notebook for documenting your cicada experiences.
- Cicadas Don’t Scream Activity Book.
- Gene Kritsky’s Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition
- Sue Fink’s Cicada Suite (music) comes with a cicada shaped flash drive.
Articles about Brood X, a retrospective:
- Brood X Magicicada photos by Jim Occi taken in Princeton, set 6
- Brood X Magicicada photos by Jim Occi taken in Princeton, set 5
- Brood X Magicicada photos by Jim Occi taken in Princeton, set 4
- Brood X Magicicada photos by Jim Occi taken in Princeton, set 3
- Magicicada cassinii photos from Brood X
- Examples of flagging from Brood X in Princeton
- Brood X Magicicada photos by Jim Occi, set 2
- Brood X Magicicada Photos by Jim Occi
- Brood X 2021 Princeton, New Jersey
- Brood X in Grover’s Mill, West Windsor & Plainsboro, New Jersey
What, when, where, and why:
What are these cicadas?
Billions of these insects:
- 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 will these cicadas emerge:
Typically beginning in 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, but if the weather is warmer, it might start in late April. Update: in 2021, they started in Tennessee on 4/27.
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 will these cicadas emerge:
Cicadas @ UCONN has the most up to date map. If you see a cicada and want to report it, the Cicada Safari App is available for Android and Apple devices .
Here’s my list from 2004. Green highlight means adults have emerged in 2021!
Delaware:
Delaware counties: Kent, New Castle, Sussex.
Delaware places: Newark, Wilmington.
Georgia:
Georgia counties: Gilmer, Murray, Union, White, .
Georgia places: Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Chatsworth, Ellijay, Fort Mountain State Park, Norcross.
Illinois:
Illinois counties: Edgar, Clark, Cook, Crawford, Vermilion.
Illinois places: Marshall, Park Forest, University Park.
Indiana:
Indiana counties: Brown, Clark, Clay, Columbus, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Dubois, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Ripley, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Warrick, Waveland, Washington.
Indiana places: Aurora, Bloomington, Brookville, Clinton Falls, Dillsboro, Fishers, French Lick, Henryville, Indianapolis, Lawrenceburg, Lexington, Martinsville, McCormick’s Creek State Park, Nashville, New Pelkin, North Vernon, Salem, Skiles Test Park, Spencer.
Kentucky:
Kentucky counties: Boone, Breckenridge, Bullitt, Carroll, Daviess, Gallatin, Grayson, Hardin, Henry, Jefferson, Livingston, La Rue, McLean, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Trimble.
Kentucky places: Big Bone Lick State Park, Covington, Dayton, Dry Ridge, Eastview, Florence, Ft. Thomas, Georgetown, Grand Rivers, Hebron, Highland Heights, Louisville, Newport, Villa Hills.
Maryland:
Maryland counties: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Washington.
Maryland places: Abingdon, Annapolis, Aspen Hill, Baltimore (learn about the Baltimore Cicada Art project), Bel Air, Beltsville, Berwyn Heights, Bethesda, Bowie, Brooklandville, Brooklyn Park, Catonsville, Chevy Chase, Clarksville, Clinton, Colesville, College Park, Columbia, Cockeysville, Crofton, Cumberland, District Heights, Eldersburg, Elkridge, Elkton, Ellicott City, Fair Hill, Fallston, Forestville, Four Corners, Gaithersburg, Gambrills, Germantown, Glen Burnie, Glenelg, Greenbelt, Gwynn Oak, Hagerstown, Hanover, Havre De Grace, Hillcrest Heights, Hunt Valley, Hyattsville, Hydes, Jessup, Kensington, Landover Hills, Laurel, Linthicum, Loch Raven watershed, Lutherville, Odenton, Oella, Onley, Owings Mills, Pikesville, Potomac, Randallstown, Reisterstown, Riverdale, Rockville, Severna Park, Sharpsburg, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Timonium, Towson, Travilah, Wheaton, Woodbine.
Want a FREE cicada book? In the DC area? Visit Lulu Florist, 4801 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, MD, and ask for a free copy of Cicada: Exotic Views by Davy Shian.
Michigan:
Michigan counties: Hillsdale, Washtenaw.
Michigan places: Ann Arbor, Canton, Quincy.
New Jersey:
New Jersey counties: Burlington, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Salem, Somerset, Warren.
New Jersey places: Alexandria, Allerton, Annandale, Asbury, Belle Mead, Bethlehem Township, Berkeley Heights, Bloomsbury, Browns Mills, Carpentersville, Clinton, Clinton Township, Cranbury, Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington, Franklin Park, Franklin Township (Somerset), Franklin Township (Warren), Frenchtown, Greenwich Township, Grover’s Mill, Hampton, Harmony, Hillsborough Township, Holland Township, Hopewell Township, Kendall Park, Kingston, Kingwood Township, Lambertville, Lawrence, Lebanon, Merrill Creek Reservoir, Milford, Montgomery, Monmouth Junction, Morristown, Mt. Rose, Pennington, Perryville, Phillipsburg, Plainsboro Township, Pittstown, Pohatcong Township, Princeton, Princeton Junction, Princeton Meadows, Prallsville, Raritan Township, Raven Rock, Readington Township, Ringoes, Rosemont, Rocky Hill, Skillman, Sourland Mountain, South Brunswick Township, Stanton, Stewartsville, Stockton, Union Township (Hunterdon), Voorhees Corner, West Windsor Township.
There’s an abundance of large parks and natural areas around Princeton.
New York (Long Island):
New York counties: Suffolk (but extinct, or nearly so, but still look for them – Newsday article).
New York places: All on Long Island, but based on the 2004 emergence, they might be extinct. Some were seen in East Setauket, Connetquot River State Park, Ronkonkoma, Stony Brook. In 1987 they were seen in Shirley, Ronkonkoma, Bohemia, Connetquot River State Park, Oakdale, and Setauket.
In Long Island? Please read this article!.
North Carolina:
North Carolina counties: Buncombe, Cherokee, Surry, Wilkes.
North Carolina places: Apex, Elkin, Morganton, Murphy, Roaring River, Weaverville.
Ohio:
Ohio counties: Butler, Clermont, Defiance, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Logan, Montgomery.
Ohio places: Amelia, Anderson Twp, Battelle Darby Park, Batavia, Bellbrook, Camden, Centerville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Defiance, Delaware, Delhi Twp, Dublin, Fairfield, Galloway, Hamilton, Kettering, Lewisburg, Lockland, Miamisburg, Olmsted Falls, Oxford, Paint Creek State Park, Springfield, St. Bernard, West Carrollton, West Chester.
Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania counties: Adams, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Columbia, County, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, 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, Erwinna, Gettysburg, Green Lane, Kintnersville, Lake Nockamixon, Lancaster, Lititz, Lumberville, Malvern, Mertztown, Metal Township, Mohnton, Mt Gretna, New Hope, Oaks, Oley, Perkasie, Perkiomenville, Phoenixville, Pipersville, Pittston, Plumstead Township, Point Pleasant, Quakertown, Red Lion, Roaring Spring, Solebury Township, Spring Mount, Stewartstown, Tinicum Township, Topton, Uhlerstown, Upper Black Eddy, Warwick Park, Williams Township.
Special note for folks in the Philly area: Is Philly Being Snubbed Again?.
Tennessee:
Tennessee counties: Blount, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox, Polk, Roane, Sumner, Washtington, Wilson.
Tennessee places: Benton, Copperhill, Farragut, Fayetteville, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Powell, Signal Mountain.
Virginia:
Virginia counties: Arlington, Clarke, County, Dulles Smithsonian National Aircraft and Space Museum, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Shenandoah, Warren, Winchester.
Virginia places: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Centreville, Chantilly, Clearbrook, Del Ray, Doswell, Dunn Loring, Fairfax, Falls Church, Franconia, Gore, Hampton Roads, Haymarket, Herndon, Lorton, Lovettsville, Manassas, McLean, Merrifield, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Vienna, White Post, Winchester.
West Virginia:
West Virginia counties: Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan.
West Virginia places: Inwood, Martinsburg, New Creek, Paw Paw.
Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. places: Washington D.C.
Want a FREE cicada book? In the DC area? Visit Lulu Florist, 4801 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, MD, and ask for a free copy of Cicada: Exotic Views by Davy Shian.
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.
Example Emergence Timeline
This is an example of a typical cicada emergence. The exact dates will depend on the weather and density of the emergence in your location. Hot weather means an early start and quicker finish to the season — cool weather means a later start, and a protracted season.
Here’s an Excel version of the chart. Feel free to use it and adjust it to match your experience.
Or watch the video version:
Some interesting things to look for
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Lean why many cicada wings are striveled up or damaged. |
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Learn about the Massospora cicadina fungus they share. |
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Look for cicadas with blue, white or other colored eyes. |
|
Look for Mosaic pigment disorders. |
Why do cicadas:
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.
Should you plant?
If you’re planting trees, wait until July. If your yard doesn’t get cicadas by the first week of June, it’s probably safe to plant in June. It’s the egg-laying that does damage. Talk to an arborist or tree expert if you’re actually concerned. I can’t answer your questions.
More facts and fun:
- New! Cicada Mania Crossword Puzzle. It isn’t easy.
- New! Cicada Mania Bingo!
- Use the correct image and the correct language when talking about these cicadas. Here’s some images you can share.
- Use the Periodical Cicada Emergence Checklist for the Maximum Magicicada Experience.
- All cicada questions that are frequently asked.
- A video to help you tell the difference between the species.
- The 17 Most Interesting Periodical cicada facts.
1907 Map from Marlatt, C.L.. 1907. The periodical cicada. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology.
Things have changed since 1907. See the modern UConn Cicada Map, or the Live Map from the Cicada Safari app.
Leave a comment below, or join the Cicada Discussion & Science Group on Facebook.
January 1, 2021
Dan’s Cicada Diary for 1996
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 onto 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 inwheelbarrows! 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 earthquake 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.
The 17-Year Cicada – Something I wrote in 1997
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
The 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. Nowisthe 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 tofallout of a tree thanfly, but, rest assured, they will be landing somewhere on your body sometime soon.
Ilive 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.
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 homosapiens…bah humbug!
- Thursday, May 30th: Metuchen, New Jersey; Still no sign of the cat. Sitting outside on my patio around 8:30pm 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 adult hood. 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 peoples 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! Home owners 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.
Cute names for the not so cute Cicada
- Flying cigar butts
- Flying turds
- The harbingers of apocalypse
- Impromptu doggie treats, hors d’oeuvres, missing Monopoly piece, etc…
- Sky Fudge
- Satan’s Parakeets
- Living hair curlers
- The name of an annoying acquaintance (example: “Blitzers”)
- Tree roaches
- Airbourne car alarms
- Sleeping bag buddies
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. See a Magicicada periodical cicada in 2023?? Report it on iNaturalist.
Magicicada Chorus. Recorded in New Jersey, Brood X (2004) by Dan Mozgai:
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 | 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, 2041 | 2023 (-1) |
Species: M. septendecim, M. cassini, M. septendecula. States: IA, IL, IN, MI, WI 
|
| XIV (14) | 17 | 1957, 1974, 1991, 2008, 2025, 2042 | 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, 2037 | 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 
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| XXII (22) | 13 | 1975, 1988, 2001, 2014, 2027, 2040 | 2023 (-4), 2026 (-1) |
Species: M. tredecim, M. tredecassini, M. tredecula. States: KY, LA, MS, OH 
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| XXIII (23) | 13 | 1976, 1989, 2002, 2015, 2028, 2041 | 2024 (-4), 2027 (-1) |
Species: M. tredecim, M. neotredecim, M. tredecassini, M. tredecula. States: AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, TN 
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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.
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.
Cicadas Under Stones & Slates
You might discover some cicada nymphs while turning over stones or when performing landscaping chores.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
- Check the Cicada Central Magicicada Database to see the counties where cicadas have appeared in the past.
- Ask someone who lived there 17 (or 13) years before.
- Old timers (hint: old timers usually call them locusts).
- Check your local Library for old newspaper articles.
- Check with a local college: contact the entomology, forestry, or agriculture-related departments.
- 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?
- They will emerge sometime in the Spring, for sure.
- 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.
- Cicadas in sunny areas of your yard will emerge before cicadas in shady areas.
- Cicadas in the southernmost states will emerge before cicadas in the northern states.
- You can try the Cicada Emergence Formula as well.
- If you don’t want them to damage your young or ornamental trees
- Spray them off with a garden hose.
- Foil around the trunk (to keep them from crawling up) (thanks Deborah).
- Insect barrier tape.
- Netting placed around & over the tree. “Insect barrier netting”. “Fruit tree covers”.
- Bagpipes (no joke, it worked at my friend’s wedding).
- 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!
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 . 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
- Signs periodical cicadas are about to emerge.
- Use the Periodical Cicada Emergence Checklist for the Maximum Magicicada Experience
- All cicada questions that are frequently asked.
- A video to help you tell the difference between the species
- Pictures of Magicicadas
- The 17 Most Interesting Periodical cicada facts
- Blog posts about Magicicadas (390+ Posts!)
April 18, 2020
Brood IX (9) will emerge in 2020 in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia
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 Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org).
What, when, where, and why:
What:
- 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:
- Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly 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:
- Use the correct image when talking about these cicadas.
- Use the Periodical Cicada Emergence Checklist for the Maximum Magicicada Experience.
- All cicada questions that are frequently asked.
- A video to help you tell the difference between the species.
- The 17 Most Interesting Periodical cicada facts.
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.
