Magicicada periodical cicadas often emerge one or four years earlier or later than their main brood is expected to emerge. When they do, we call them precursors or stragglers (the most common name in scientific literature). This behavior is natural and expected, and how Magicicada have branched off into new broods over the millennia.
This year we expected members of Brood II to straggle 4-years early in New Jersey and other states. I was able to observe Magicicada straggling behavior in Metuchen, Edison, Fanwood, Scotch Plains and Mountainside, New Jersey. Looking at iNaturalist, 12 people observed them in Jersey.
In Metuchen, I observed Pharaoh (Magicicada septendecim) cicada nymphs emerging from the ground and molting. I observed a nymph with Massospora fungus. In Edison, at Roosevelt Park, along with cicada super-fans Elias Bonaros and Cameron Marietta, I observed Magicicada cassinii emerging and molting. In Mountainside, at the Watchung Reserve, I saw exit holes and heard a Pharaoh “long calling”, which they do when they’re having difficulty finding a mate (because there are few females around to mate with (because they’re stragglers)).
I accompanied cicada expert John Cooley, his daughter, and Elias Bonaros to look for signs of stragglers in Metuchen, Edison, Fanwood and Scotch Plains. We observed exit holes and exuvia (molted nymph skins) in all locations. John Cooley recorded data on exit hole density and exuvia.
It is worth noting that the mythical Brood XV in Fanwood, New Jersey seems to be just Brood II stragglers.
All things considered, the chance to observe straggling Magicicada was a rare treat, and now I have a reason to live until 2030 when the rest of Brood II will emerge.
Here’s a compilation of 2026 video from New Jersey:
Here’s a video of a Magicicada septemdecim long-calling in the Watchung Reservation: