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NATURE

These are the places in the United States where the spring cicada plague will be most severe

Cicadas will be widespread in the US this spring, as this year two broods will be emerging from the ground. Here are the areas which will see them the most.

Cicadas will be widespread in the US this spring, as this year two broods will be emerging from the ground. Here are the areas which will see them the most.
Kevin LamarqueREUTERS

Cicadas, those loud-buzzing insects that emerge from the ground during certain cyclical periods, will come out in the trillions in the US this spring.

One of the most remarkable aspects of these insects is their synchronized emergence, known as a “brood.” Different broods of cicadas emerge in specific geographic regions at regular intervals, often every 13 or 17 years, depending on the species.

This periodic appearance is thought to be an adaptation that helps cicadas avoid predation and increase their chances of successful reproduction.

Cicadas have a unique life cycle that typically spans several years. Most species spend most of their lives underground as nymphs, feeding on plant roots. After several years, the nymphs emerge from the ground in large numbers, undergo a final molt, and transform into winged adults. The flying insects are expected to swarm parts of the US in mid-May.

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These are the places in the United States where the spring cicada plague will be most severe

This spring, both the 13-year and the 17-year broods will come out of the ground, arriving in parts of the US in numbers that the country has not witnessed in decades. These areas will be subjected to loud, buzzing calls, which males produce to attract females during the mating season.

The noise they produce is pretty much the most harm they can cause humans. Cicadas cannot bite people or pets.

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The 13-year insects are called Brood XIX, also known as the Great Southern Brood. They are expected to arrive in Georgia and the Southeast. The 17-year cicadas are called Brood XIII, or the Northern Illinois Brood. As the name suggests, the insects will emerge in Illinois.

A dual cicada brood emergence does not happen very often. The last time this took place in the country was in 1803. This year’s co-emergence will likely affect parts of Illinois and Iowa the most. Here is a list of other states that may be shaken up by the simultaneous emergence of two cicada broods.

2024 Dual cicada brood emergence
Illinois
Iowa
Kentucky
Missouri
Arkansas
Tennessee
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Virginia
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