Cicada Invasion: Trillions to Emerge This Spring
Trillions of periodical cicadas will emerge from the ground this spring, bringing with them their loud buzzing and molted shells.
Where billions of cicadas will emerge this spring and over the next decade in one map
Cicadas will hear the call of spring. And then you'll hear their mating calls too. Use this interactive map to find Brood XIX, Brood XIII in 2024.
In a few weeks, over a dozen states will be inundated with cicadas. This spring, two different broods of cicadas, one that lives on a 13-year cycle and the other that lives on a 17-year cycle, will emerge from the ground in a rare double-brood event that hasn't happened in over 200 years.
The cicadas, which are harmless to humans and animals, will emerge from the ground in massive numbers, and their loud buzzing will be impossible to ignore. They will mate and lay eggs, and then they will die. The entire process will take about six weeks.
Cicadas are a fascinating insect. They spend most of their lives underground, feeding on the roots of trees. When they emerge, they are adults and have only a few weeks to mate and lay eggs. The males produce the loud buzzing sound that is so characteristic of cicadas. The females lay their eggs in the twigs of trees.
The cicadas that will emerge this spring are part of Brood XIX and Brood XIII. Brood XIX is the largest of the periodical cicada broods, and it emerges every 17 years. Brood XIII is the second largest, and it emerges every 13 years. These two broods will overlap in 2024, creating a double-brood event that will be the largest in over 200 years.
If you live in one of the states that will be affected by the cicada invasion, be prepared for a lot of noise. But don't worry, the cicadas are harmless, and they will only be around for a few weeks.
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