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Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
'Greater Eastern Brood' cicadas are making their return to Tennessee. Why they're considered 'near threatened'
It's around that time of year, when the air - and ground - is filled with the sights and sounds of millions of buzzing cicadas. In 2025, Tennessee will see the emergence of Brood XIV, a 17-year periodical cicada. The last time this brood emerged was in 2008. According to Cicada Mania, the loud guests will most likely be spotted north of Nashville, north-west of Chattanooga and in random places across East Tennessee. Counties most likely to spot cicadas include: Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Cheatham, Claiborne, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, Grainger, Grundy, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Marion, Putnam, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Sevier, Sumner, Unicoi, and Williamson. Here's what to know about this year's cicadas as they begin to emerge from their underground burrows. The three 17 year species of cicadas — Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini and Magicicada septendecula —are all considered 'near threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning the species does not currently meet the criteria for critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable status, but it is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category. All three species were listed as near threatened in 1996, 12 years before their last emergence. Brood XIV is one of the largest 17-year periodical cicada broods. According to the University of Connecticut, it is the second largest after Brood XIX and is larger than Brood X, earning it the nickname "Greater Eastern Brood." Brood XIV emerges eight years after Brood VI, four years after Brood X, and four years before Brood I. According to Cicada Mania, millions of Brood XIV cicadas will emerge in the spring of 2025, and will most likely begin appearing in May across 13 states, including Tennessee. These cicadas typically emerge when the soil, 8 inches below the surface, reaches around 64 degrees. Above-ground temperatures in the 70s to 80s help warm the soil to this point. Often, a warm rain can trigger their emergence, wrote Cicada Mania. Cicadas will stick around throughout the spring and into the summer months. They are likely to leave by late June 2025. In 2025, cicadas will primarily emerge in states located in the eastern half of the country. States welcoming the noisy visitors include: Georgia Indiana Kentucky Massachusetts Maryland North Carolina New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Virginia West Virginia Tennessee won't see the next periodical emergence of cicadas until 2028, when the 13-year cycle Brood XXIII cicadas return. According to Cicada Mania, they will most likely be seen throughout West Tennessee. Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 2025 cicada brood emerging in Tennessee is considered ear threatened
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Billions of buzzing cicadas will emerge across multiple states this spring
As winter melts away, spring begins to blossom – and buzz with the sound of cicadas. This year, the cohort of cicadas known as "Brood XIV" will emerge from the ground and, much like many other animals during spring, begin looking for a mate. In fact, the buzzing sound cicadas are known for is actually part of this courtship ritual, as the males produce the noise to attract females. While this cicada phenomenon occurs every year, for Brood XIV and many other cicadas, it's a small part of multiyear, multigenerational cycles that are connected to geography, the seasons and the weather. The cicadas of Brood XIV emerge from the ground every 17 years. This means that the last time they saw the Sun, President George W. Bush was nearing the end of his presidency and Apple was about to launch the App Store. When exactly they will begin reaching the surface will depend on their location and the weather they will experience, according to Gene Kritsky, Professor Emeritus of Biology at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati and founder of In terms of weather, Kritsky said the insects emerge after the soil temperature reaches between 64 and 65 degrees and after rain has soaked the ground. What's The Difference Between Annual And Periodical Cicadas? When these conditions are met depends largely on where the cicadas are located. Brood XIV – which includes fellow 17-year-cycle species Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini and Magicicada septendecula – are scattered between the South and the Northeast. Being so spread out geographically leads to variations in the timing of their emergence. The cicadas will start emerging around the third week of April in northern Georgia, where warm weather conditions will likely hit first, according to Kritsky. After Georgia, and if this spring should be similar to last year's, Kritsky said that Brood XIV cicadas in other states will emerge in the following roughly south-to-north sequence: Tennessee - Fourth week of April. Kentucky - First week of May. Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania - Second week of May. Massachusetts - Late May. Kritsky said that, once the cicadas of an area begin to emerge, they will take two full weeks to come out of the ground. The insects will then be above ground and living in trees for six weeks. After about five days of being above ground, the males will start producing their buzzing sounds. As more cicadas emerge, that buzzing sound will grow and become loud for about two weeks. How To Watch Fox Weather "The trees will just be screaming with all these males singing," Kritsky said. "I have measured the intensity – the highest I've ever measured is 102 decibels. Commonly, you'll see them coming in at 90 decibels. That's louder than the planes landing at Dulles." Once the male cicadas find their mates, the females will lay their eggs in the trees. After that, all the adult cicadas begin to die. So, the buzzing sound will diminish about five weeks after the initial emergence. As the eggs hatch and cicada nymphs are born, the nymphs of Brood XIV will drop to the ground, burrow their way into the soil, and then begin their 17-year cycle by feeding off of the roots of grass and trees, according to article source: Billions of buzzing cicadas will emerge across multiple states this spring
