“I hope you had a wonderful weekend and got to get some rest and maybe get outside a little bit. We just enjoyed being outdoors a lot. Let me tell you- the cicadas right now- they are so loud! We have cicadas everywhere. This is called the BroodX, where the cicadas only come out every 17 years. It doesn’t seem like they live long. They’re really pretty- they’re kind of orange. In Mississippi, our cicadas were HUGE. They were the size of little mice…these are teeny tiny, and I love the sound, myself. It reminds me of summer camp- you could hear the frogs and the crickets. I just appreciate it, so we’ve been enjoying the cicadas all weekend.” ~Lauren Kitchens, Living Life with Lauren
While you may not find yourself feeling as enthusiastic about the cicadas as Lauren, you might have a few questions about them, like how long do I have to deal with these things? Or will they bite me? (Not to worry- they don’t bite or sting!) So read on for everything you ever wanted to know about cicadas (and possibly quite a bit more than you ever wanted to know!)
Annual vs. BroodX
If you’re wondering why there’s such a commotion about the cicadas this year when you’re pretty sure you see cicadas every year, here’s what’s going on: there are annual cicadas, and there are the Brood X cicadas that only emerge every 17 years. You can easily tell them apart by their physical appearance and when in the course of the summer you see them.
Appearance-wise, there’s a big difference between the two types of cicadas we’re discussing here. However, there are also many other species of cicadas, including a brood that emerges every 13 years. The Brood X cicadas have black bodies, red/orange veined wings and legs, and red eyes. The annual cicadas have dark green or black bodies and green-veined wings. According to Dr. Gene Kristsky with Mount St. Joseph University, “The periodical cicadas tend to come out in May and June. The annual cicadas tend to come about towards the end of June, into July, and the rest of the summer.”
So, to answer your question, the huge swarms of cicadas should be gone around July 4 or so. 😉
“This is a real treat. This is an unusual biological phenomenon. Periodical cicadas only occur in the eastern United States; they don’t occur anywhere else in the world. So it’s just going to be an amazingly big, big show.”
Eric Day of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University extension.
Life Cycle
Cicadas have one of the longest lifespans among insects, but most of their life is spent underground. When the periodical cicadas swarm, they mate, and then the females lay up to 500 eggs each in the trees. The adult cicadas die soon after mating and fertilize the soil near the trees where their nymphs will feed and grow. When the eggs hatch, the nymphs fall to the ground and burrow down to grow for the next 13-17 years. They survive by sucking juices from the roots of plants. Then, when it’s the right time for the cicadas to emerge, they burrow back out of the ground, attach to trees to shed their exoskeleton, and begin the entire process again.
A Delicacy?
A fascinating fact about periodical cicadas is the reason they swarm in such large numbers- a survival strategy called “prey satiation,” meaning there are so many cicadas, their predators each as much as they want. There is still plenty leftover to perpetuate the species. And you guessed it- humans are one of their predators! So if you’re an adventurous eater, give them a try (keeping in mind that people with shellfish allergies could have an adverse reaction.)
Many different animals, birds, and even snakes go crazy over the cicadas, making many pet owners nervous about possible harm to their fur babies. While problems can arise, especially if your pet has an especially sensitive stomach, Tina Wismer, a veterinarian who is a senior director at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, Ill says, “Most pets who ingest a few cicadas will only develop mild stomach upset.” But, of course, too much of anything has the potential to cause vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in dogs, so it’s important to keep an eye on the situation.
So there you have it…the great 2021 Cicada Emergence is almost over, and you won’t have to deal with it again for 17 more years! So enjoy that cicada chorus while it’s here!
Article Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-cicadas-180977361/ https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/23/world/cicadas-2021-emergence-scn/index.html https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/cicadas-brood-x.htm
https://www.wkrn.com/news/the-differences-between-periodical-and-annual-cicadas/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/health/cicadas-dogs-cats-eat.html
