If you live in Indiana, west Ohio, east Pennsylvania, or the DC area, prepare for a rare and bizarre phenomenon this spring: this Formation of Brood X cicadaswho have been underground for 17 years.
Periodic cicadas (Magicicada Species) live as larvae for 13 or 17 years, depending on the species. When it’s time for them to produce the next generation, they emerge, shed, mate, and die within a few angry weeks. When it’s their year, the trees in an area are covered in giant beetles. This whole phenomenon is either gross or fascinating depending on who you ask. (Okay, maybe it’s a bit of both.) This year’s surfacing hasn’t started yet, but it is expected to start next month when the ground warms up.
If you feel like you last heard of 17-year-old cicadas less than 17 years ago, it’s because each brood has its own territory. You can see a map of them here. In western Pennsylvania, where I live, I saw Brood VIII perform in 2002 and 2019. I won’t see this year’s pop up as the maggots who turn 17 are not the ones who live here.
To track and document the cicadas in your area, Download the Cicada Safari app (free for Android and iOS) from Mount St. Joseph University. Right now you can check a map for sightings and once your local cicadas show up you can take pictures of them for cicada scientists to study.
Even if you’re not in Brood X’s territory, sometimes cicadas will have the wrong time and will show up a few years sooner or later. Meanwhile, Check the brood maps hereand see if you can expect some rare visitors another year.
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This post was originally published in May 2019 for the Creation of Brood VIII and was updated on March 19, 2021 with updated links and additional information about the Brood X cicadas.
