This spring, Cicadas from Brood XIV have begun to emerge, starting in the southeastern region and moving northeastward.
Brood XIV is a group of cicadas that appears every 17 years. They emerge when the soil temperature hits around 64-65 degrees, prompting them to burrow to the surface.
This year, observers noted that the first cicadas appeared in northern Georgia by the end of April, as reported by Jean Kritsky, a biology professor emeritus at Mount St. Joseph University and founder of the Cicada Database App.
Shortly after, sightings expanded to areas like Nashville and Knoxville in Tennessee, with reports of hundreds in Asheville, North Carolina.
“Asheville is buzzing with them now,” Kritsky mentioned.
Interestingly, some cicadas have also been spotted in parts of the Ohio River Basin, including Louisville, Kentucky.
Preliminary sightings have even been reported as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Just starting
As warmer spring temperatures continue spreading northward, even more cicadas are anticipated to emerge.
Kritsky utilizes weather models, developed during potato agriculture research, to predict when Brood XIV cicadas will appear at various locations. Similar to potatoes, cicadas develop underground, generally at depths of about 4-6 inches.
With this method, he claims a 90% accuracy in predicting cicada appearances.
Here’s when some states are expected to see Brood XIV this year:
- West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania – The second week of May.
- Massachusetts – Late May.
“Scream” tree
Upon emerging from the ground, male cicadas climb nearby trees and produce loud sounds to attract females.
“The trees are just alive with their noises,” Kritsky told a weather outlet. “The loudest I’ve measured is 102 decibels. Generally, you can hear them at about 90 decibels, which is louder than a plane landing.”
After mating, females lay eggs on the trees. Once the adults die, the eggs hatch, and the nymphs—the next generation—will burrow underground, feeding on roots for the next 17 years.
Brood XIV is one of 15 known cicada broods. Kritsky noted that 12 of these follow a 17-year cycle, while three follow a 13-year cycle.
Deforestation affecting CICADA
Factors such as deforestation can impact the cicada brood cycle.
Cicadas rely on trees for mating rituals and as a food source while underground.
“Removing forests means we’re also reducing cicada populations,” Kritsky explained.
This issue isn’t solely man-made. Natural events can also cause tree loss, such as the historic flooding from Hurricane Helen last fall, which uprooted many trees in western North Carolina.
It remains to be seen how this will affect cicada populations in the region.
“In the past, if trees remain intact, the cicadas tend to do well,” Kritsky said. “But significant tree loss can devastate cicada numbers.”
For those interested in tracking cicada distributions, Kritsky encourages using the Cicada Safari app. Observations and photos submitted by the public can contribute valuable research data on cicadas.
