The United States is bracing for a cicada 'apocalypse' as more than a trillion of the red-eyed insects are expected to emerge from the ground.
This event is particularly significant as it marks the first time in over 200 years that two groups of cicadas, which hibernate in either 13- or 17-year cycles, will emerge simultaneously. The last such occurrence was in 1803, during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson.
This impending infestation is forecasted to affect 16 states, potentially causing extensive damage to trees. A professor at Tennessee Tech University has warned that hundreds, if not thousands, of trees could be 'damaged beyond recovery.'
Dr. Gene Kritsky, a professor, entomologist, and cicada expert at Mount St. Joseph University, told DailyMail.com, "The dual emergence is a one in three or four lifetime event. This happens 12 times every 221 years, but this is the first time since 1803 that these broods will emerge together."
Brood XIX, which last appeared in 2011, is set to be unleashed in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The other group, Brood XIII, has a 17-year cycle and last emerged in 2007. This brood is expected to affect Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Brood XIX, also known as the Northern Illinois Brood, contains three different species of cicadas, while the Great Southern Brood, or Brood XIII, has four different species. Brood XIX is expected to begin emerging from the ground in mid-May, primarily in midwestern states. Brood XIII will start surfacing from late April through the second week of May.
"The southern states will see them the last week of April, followed by parts of Missouri, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia in May," Kritsky said. "By the third week of May, the insects will start appearing in Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa."
The emergence of the cicadas is contingent on the ground reaching an optimal temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of 12 to 18 inches. Soil temperatures act as a signal to cicadas, indicating that the outside world is suitable for survival. "We need two or three days above 80 degrees for the soil to reach 64 degrees," Kritsky explained. "Cicadas have receptors that are triggered when temperatures are getting warmer."
While cicadas are mostly a nuisance to humans rather than a danger, they can cause significant damage to trees. Cicadas create slits in tree branches to lay their eggs, which can be detrimental to young saplings. "When females lay eggs in sapling branches, the insects sometimes weaken that branch. The branch will hang there and the leaves will turn brown in what is called flagging," Kritsky said.
Cicadas are particularly attracted to specific trees such as Oak, Maple, and some fruit trees like cherry and pear. They are also drawn to younger trees due to their diameter. To protect newly planted trees, homeowners can wrap the branches in a mesh netting to keep the cicadas at bay.
According to Davey, a professional tree service company based in Ohio, "Generally, mature trees can sustain minor damage from cicadas. Young trees, however, can experience canopy loss and a reduction in photosynthesis due to their limited number of branches."
There are over 3,000 known species of cicadas, which form 15 major 'broods' in different geographic areas. These insects emerge from the ground in droves, with some years seeing trillions of cicadas in a season.
The two broods are expected to live for around one month. Due to the sheer number of insects, there will likely be a need for removal of their bodies in urban areas. However, as Shockley suggests, "rather than throwing in the trash or cleaning up with street sweepers, people should consider them basically free fertilizer for the plants in their gardens and natural areas."
The loud singing of cicadas is done only by males as a way to attract a mate. After mating, the female lays eggs in the tree. The nymphs then drop out and burrow underground to begin their own hibernation, thus starting the cycle anew. As the U.S. prepares for this impending cicada 'apocalypse,' it is a reminder of the fascinating, if somewhat disruptive, cycles of nature.
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