All across the southern states, swarms…millions of cicadas are cycling and getting ready to wake from a very long sleep. 13 long years of a deep sleep!
Brood XIX is set to emerge in mid-May 2024 in Tennessee in addition to Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia. These periodical cicadas have not emerged since 2011 and typically stick around through mid-June.
The cicadas typically begin to emerge when the soil eight inches beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees.
Why do cicadas stay underground for 13-years?
Scientists believe these cicadas have evolved a 13-year lifecycle to avoid predators that would sync up with their lifecycle and emergence.
(Video courtesy of WKRN-TV)
What is the difference between annual and periodical cicadas?
Cicadas are present every year, but some years there are a lot more of them and they’re a lot louder. Annual cicadas are what you hear on a typical summer night. They have green bodies and black eyes and are most active during the evening and nighttime hours. Periodical cicadas have life cycles of either 13 or 17 years and come out in large groups called broods. Instead of green bodies and black eyes, periodical cicadas have red eyes and can look especially frightening immediately after molting.
Why are there so many?
Researchers say huge numbers allow them to overwhelm predators so enough of them will live on to breed and continue the brood.
They are a food source for snakes and other critters.
The vast number of periodical cicadas makes them a popular food source for various animals, including snakes. Copperheads, in particular, seek out cicadas when they are plentiful. According to Dr. Hale, some larger species also enjoy snacking on cicadas.
They won’t hurt you or your pets
The good news is that cicadas are mostly harmless. They do not bite or carry diseases. You and your pets will be safe. However, you may want to take steps to protect young trees since emerging cicadas can damage them.
Yup, you can eat them
Yes, you can eat them. According to those who feast on cicadas, they taste like shrimp and are a source of protein. There are plenty of recipes online if you want to give cicada-eating a try.
The interaction between male and female cicadas is interesting. When a female finds a male she likes, all she has to do is “snap.” Male cicadas have specialized organs called “tymbals” that generate sound. The females will then applaud the males by snapping their wings when they’ve found an impressive mate. These snaps signal to the males that they are open to mating. However, a male cicada won’t know the difference between you snapping and a female cicada snapping.
(Video courtesy of the State Journal-Register)
Zombie Cicadas
Zombie cicadas do exist, but no need to panic. Cicadas can become infected with a parasitic fungus called Massas Pora. The infection looks gruesome, with large portions of the cicada’s abdomen replaced with fungal spores. However, as usual, the cicadas continue on, seemingly not noticing that a part of their body is missing.
