Cicadas are known for their vociferous buzzing sound. A rare phenomenon involving these creatures will occur in the United States. Two broods of about a billion cicadas will emerge simultaneously. The last time this occurred was in 1803 and will not happen again for 221 years. These two broods are the 13- and 17-year cycles of cicadas.
Cicadas have one of the longest life cycles of any other insects. Simply put, broods are a group of cicadas that share the same emergence years. Broods are represented by Roman numerals. Brood XIX emerges every 13 years and Brood XIII emerges every 17 years. Here in the Mid-South, we will experience Brood XIX. This Brood is emerging now and will continue to do so through the second week of May.
Male cicadas emanate a very loud, high-pitched sound. This is their mating call; the decibel level approximates that of a lawn mower. One can only imagine what it sounds like when the males are singing together. Reportedly, this can sound louder than a jet engine!
A national news agency recently interviewed an Extension Agent with the University of Georgia. He explained that the cicadas would climb fence posts, trees, and other structures before shredding their hard skins. They will then mate in the treetops, lay eggs, and die within a few weeks.
Cicadas are loud and messy, but they are harmless to humans. If there is concern about cicadas damaging your small trees and shrubs, you can protect them with netting with openings of a half-inch or less. This will block the cicadas from gaining access to the plants. Be certain that the netting goes all the way to the ground. There is no need to use a pesticide to control the cicadas.
This is a once in a lifetime occurrence. The sounds of nature are impressive! If you have any gardening questions, please give me a call at 901-752-1207. I am happy to assist you.
Photo Credit: Julie Morgan; Shannon Hammers; video- CBS News
Click here for a video of a cicada emergence – Make sure you turn on audio, which is at the lower right hand of the video.
