A brood of cicadas that only emerges every 17 years is set to make its appearance in New York this spring.
The Empire State and at least 13 other states — Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and nine southern counties in Indiana — will soon be filled with the hum of these periodical insects.
Here’s what to know.
What is Brood XIV?
Billions of Brood XIV cicadas, which is considered the second largest periodical cicada brood, according to the University of Connecticut, will most likely come out of the ground during the second half of May.
It’s one of 15 broods of periodical cicadas that emerge every 13 or 17 years, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, and they’ll emerge when soil temperatures reach 64 degrees. While annual cicadas emerge worldwide each year, periodical cicadas can only be found in the eastern United States, the Enquirer reported.
The last time this brood appeared was in 2008, says Gene Kritsky, founder of Cicada Safari, a group a group that gathers data on the insects, and biology professor at Mount Saint Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
When can we expect cicadas to emerge in NY?
Brood XIV cicadas will emerge on a small part of Long Island in the coming months as periodical cicadas typically emerge in May and June, according to the New York State Department of Conservation. However, it’s unclear what this year’s cicada population will look like on Long Island as it’s been declining for at least the last two cycles — or 34 years — and the area has experienced some severe droughts, Kritsky says.
Here’s a map of the anticipated 2025 Brood XIV cicada emergence created by USA TODAY:
What to know about cicadas
Cicadas, which are often mistaken for locusts, are insects that belong to the hemiptera order, which includes stink bugs, bed bugs, aphids and cicada families, Kritsky said.
The oldest historical record of Brood XIV cicadas is from 1634, when Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony recorded them, according to Kritsky. However, Native Americans knew of them for centuries prior to European contact, he wrote on his website.
There are three different species of 17-year periodical cicadas, Kritsky added: Magicicada septendecim, magicicada cassini and magicicada septendecula. There are some differences among the three species, such as their calls and colors.
Here are some additional facts about cicadas, according to Kritsky:
Contributing: USA TODAY
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Cicada Brood XIV to emerge in NY soon: When to expect them
Reporting by Emily Barnes and Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
