RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — This year marks “Cicada Swarm Summer” in Virginia with a group set to emerge from the ground in just a matter of months.
A large periodical cicada group named Brood XIX is set to emerge in Virginia in mid-May 2024 and stick around through mid-June.
Every 13 years, Brood XIX cicadas emerge from the ground to mate, lay eggs and die.
For those worried about noise pollution, the good news is that cicadas are only active for about eight weeks, and then their offspring live dormant in the ground until the next 13 years pass and they emerge again.
Wait, don’t cicadas arrive every 17 years? Yes, some do! According to the Smithsonian, periodical cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years depending on the group.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), periodical cicada adults are about 1 to 1.5 inches long and have a wingspan twice that length. They have black bodies, large red-brown eyes and membranous wings with orange veins.
The loud noise that announces their large presence is created by the male cicadas as a courting sound to attract the ladies, according to the EPA.
Aside from their high numbers and incessant noise, cicadas are not harmful to humans, pets, household gardens or crops, according to the EPA. In fact, cicadas can aerate lawns, improve water filtration into the ground and add nutrients to the soil after they die and decompose.
The EPA provides the following tips to manage cicadas when they appear this year:
- No need to spray! Pesticides are generally ineffective in keeping cicadas away. So many cicadas emerge at once that more will inevitably move in. Spraying also doesn’t make sense because cicadas are generally harmless. Applying pesticides to control cicadas may harm other organisms, including animals that eat cicadas. Pesticides can be harmful to other non-target, beneficial insects. Pets and people may also be unnecessarily exposed to pesticides.
- Cicadas do not bite or sting. Cicadas are not poisonous or venomous and are eaten by many organisms. Cicadas are not dangerous to pets. If dogs or cats eat many cicadas, this may temporarily cause an upset stomach or vomiting, but there is no need to worry if a pet eats a small number of cicadas.
- Take simple steps to protect young trees. Young trees may need protection from cicadas. Cover them in mesh or netting with a quarter-inch or smaller openings. This will protect against damage that could occur when cicadas deposit their eggs in small tree branches. Cicadas cannot harm larger, more established trees.
- Cicadas will go away! Cicadas will not eat leaves, flowers, fruits, or garden produce, so it is not necessary to take special precautions to cover or apply additional insecticides in your garden. Above ground, adult cicadas only consume small amounts of sap from trees and shrubs.
