Where to Spot the 2025 Cicada Swarm—Is Your State on the List?
They're back! It's nearly time for periodical cicadas to emerge in parts of the U.S.. These striking-looking insects are worth learning about because—incredibly—they're found nowhere else in the world!
Native to eastern North America, periodical cicadas are about an inch long with black bodies, orange-veined wings, and bright red eyes. They're called 'periodical' because they're synchronized developmentally so that most members of the population emerge in one year and then are absent in intervening years. Each year-class, or brood, is designated by a Roman numeral.
This year, Brood XIV of the 17-year cicadas is emerging. 'Brood XIV has been hypothesized to be the Brood from which all other 17-year broods have been derived,' says Chris Simon, PhD, senior research scientist, department of ecology and evolutionary biology, at the University of Connecticut. 'It was the first brood documented by European colonists.'
Periodical cicadas (Magicicada) can emerge in huge numbers, up to 1.5 million per acre, though densities of tens to hundreds of thousands per acre are more common. Depending on where you live, you may see a lot or none at all this year. 'Many areas where periodical cicadas live have been affected by human habitat clearing, and that's why they're so patchy,' says Simon.
Read on to learn more about these harmless and fascinating insects:
There are about 150 species of cicadas in the U.S., but only seven have synchronized development to create periodical emergences. The rest are annual cicadas, which we see every year, says Simon.
There are three species with 17-year life cycles and four species with have 13-year life cycles. The 17-year species generally found in the North, while the 13-year species generally are found in the South and Midwest. Sometimes, cicadas get off-schedule and emerge a little early or a little late and are called 'stragglers.'
After spending five juvenile stages underground for 13 or 17 years, the baby cicadas, or nymphs, tunnel to the surface, hang out on nearby plants for their final molt, wait for their exoskeletons to harden, and then start looking for love.
The males begin their (loud!) calling songs. Once mated, the females lay their eggs in branches. The eggs hatch in six to ten weeks, the new nymphs fall to the earth, burrow underground and begin the wait for their emergence in 13 or 17 years.
Periodical cicadas emerge when soil temperatures at a depth of 7 to 8 inches reach approximately 64°F, which can be any time from April to June, depending on where you live. Periodical cicadas tend to emerge earlier in southern and lower-elevation locations, says Simon. Once emerged, the adults live for about 4 weeks.
The most likely places to see them this year include: Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Eastern Long Island from Deer Park to the William Floyd Parkway; parts of Central Pennsylvania; southwest Ohio; Southeast Indiana, and scattered throughout West Virgininia, Kentucky and TN (but not in the Mississippi Valley; Southwest Virginia, western North Carolina; and North Georgia, North Georgia.
No. Cicadas are not locusts, which are a serious agricultural pest in some parts of the world. The inaccurate term 'locust' was first used in the English colonies in 1715, when people compared the emergences with Biblical plagues and the fact the John the Baptist ate locusts.
Nope! They do not bite or sting and are not toxic, says Simon. Cicadas also are not known to transmit disease. They may startle you if they accidentally land on you or your pet. But if approached, a cicada just flies away. If handled, both males and females struggle to fly, and males make a loud but harmless buzzing sound.
Probably not. Newly-emerged cicadas may hang out on garden plants, such as annuals and perennials, but they'll soon move up into the trees, where females pierce small branches to insert their eggs, says Simon.
Fortunately, the damage to trees usually is minor, says Simon. The only exception is very young trees, which may not be able to sustain the same level of injury as established trees. If you have a small or newly-transplanted tree you're concerned about, use netting or cheese cloth to cover it during the emergence.
It's not recommended. Even if your dog or cat ingests just a few, there's a choking risk due to the crunchy exoskeletons. And pets that overdo it may experience GI upset, abdominal pain, and vomiting and diarrhea. If you catch your pet noshing on these insects, call your vet ASAP if you have concerns.
Help scientists map the emergence by using free mapping apps such as Cicada Safari or iNaturalist. Or simply enjoy this marvelous natural spectacle, especially with your kids!
As for the crunchy husks left behind, sweep them up, compost them or leave them for nature to decompose. Then wait for another 13 or 17 years for the next big cicada event!
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