Following the April 8 solar eclipse, a significant event is expected in the United States as billions of cicadas prepare to emerge from underground.
This emergence will occur a few weeks after the eclipse, primarily in the country’s southeastern region.
What You Need To Know About The Cicada Invasion
Spring 2024 marks the simultaneous emergence of two distinct groups of periodical cicadas: Brood XIII, consisting of 17-year cicadas, and Brood XIX, involving 13-year cicadas. This synchronicity hasn’t happened for 221 years and won’t happen again for another 221 years after 2024.
After the Solar Eclipse, Billions of Cicadas Are Coming amid Rare Double Brood.
Brood XIII and Brood XIX are set to emerge during the same spring for the first time in 221 years.
A few weeks after the April 8 solar eclipse, two broods of periodical cicadas will emerge, and… pic.twitter.com/gQvyGjroaF
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) April 2, 2024
Periodical cicadas are known for spending most of their lives underground, feeding on the sap of tree roots. Once every 13 or 17 years, depending on their brood, they emerge to mature and engage in a noisy mating ritual that lasts for about a month.
Typically, cicadas surface in spring when the soil temperature reaches approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Brood XIII primarily appears in the Midwest, centered in Illinois but extending into Wisconsin, Ohio, and Iowa. Meanwhile, Brood XIX has a broader range, spanning Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
When these insects emerge, they do so in large quantities, giving off a loud, high-pitched buzz. Although harmless to humans, the volume of cicadas can create an annoying noise problem for a few weeks until they complete their life cycles.
In the Southeast, where Brood XIX is majorly seen, the cicadas are expected to emerge from late April onwards. As temperatures rise, more cicadas will surface throughout May and June across the Southeast and Midwest regions.