The 2021 Cicada Invasion

The cicadas are coming! The cicadas are coming!

In the Book of Exodus, the God of Israel sent a plague of locusts upon the land of Egypt. These pests covered every tree and plant and ravaged the land by eating every thing that could be eaten. Though sometimes confused with locusts, the hordes of insects surfacing within the next month are not ravagers like the locusts but are relatively harmless cicadas.

Within the next month, billions (yes, with a 'b') of cicadas will emerge from their underground homes and invade parts of the eastern and southern United States. So, the question must be asked, what exactly are cicadas?

According to Michigan State University, “Cicadas are a type of insect that we generally do refer to as ‘bugs’ in the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha and family Cicadidae. All these kinds of ‘bugs’ are distinguished from other kinds of insects by having their mouthparts modified into the form of a slender, jointed beak for sucking up fluids.” Many differing kinds of cicadas exist, but this years infestation comes by way of a class called the Periodical cicadas.

Periodical cicadas spend much of their lives a foot or two underground and emerge in the Spring of their 13th or 17th year. This time, the 17 year cicadas will burrow out in massive numbers for the purpose of perpetuating their kind. These insects live on sap from tree roots and when they emerge, usually climb up the nearest tree, shed their exoskeletons, and inflate their wings. Once they recover from this ordeal, the mating process begins. It will be impossible to miss the sound when the mating rituals begin. Males emit a high pitched song, wooing nearby females. Once the male has attracted a female and the mating period ends, the male dies. At a later date, the female births baby cicadas or nymphs. These babies tunnel into the ground and the process starts all over again.

When Brood X surfaces this Spring, the impacted areas of the Country may become so inundated that people from those regions may believe they're witnessing something on the level of a Biblical plague. But don't fear, they pose no danger.

"They may amass in parks, woods, neighborhoods and can seemingly be everywhere," Michigan State University entomologist Gary Parsons explained in an MSU question and answer session on the phenomenon. "When they are this abundant, they fly, land and crawl everywhere, including occasionally landing on humans." Dr. Parsons assures that though the emergence of so many insects at once can be annoying, they pose no physical threat to humans or pets. This year's emergence promises so many insects, that predators will feast for weeks on end. Some pets might gorge on the cicadas, causing sickness, but the insects pose no toxic threat.

People have worried that these insects might attempt to overrun their homes. Entomologists assure this is not the goal of a Periodical cicada. According to Dr. Parsons, "“Cicadas will not enter homes, but they will amass and rest on outside walls. The only way they could get inside is accidentally flying in through an open door or window, or because they had landed on a person who then carried them inside unnoticed.” So, there's no need to keep your exterminator on speed dial. Homeowners need only monitor for "hitchhikers" if living in the regions of the Country where this year's Brood X will be seeing the light of the day for the first time in 17 years. (Find out more about where the cicadas will be emerging here.)

Interestingly enough, some people track the cicadas and keep close tabs on when the various broods will emerge from the ground. Many cicada enthusiasts around the Country travel to witness the arrival of the insects and to experience the sound produced by such a vast number of Cicadas at the same time.

If you've never experienced the sound of the cicada or you want to learn more about these interesting creatures, you can find more information by watching Jeff the Nature Guy.