Will there be cicadas in Delaware this spring?
Worried about swarms of loud bugs interrupting the rest of your spring? In over a dozen states, that will soon be a fear that comes to pass, as trillions of cicadas are preparing to emerge from the ground.
Luckily, the First State is safe from the massive double-swarm that promises plenty of buzzing for Americans across the Midwest and Southeast.
What is a cicada?
Most people recognize cicadas by their distinct sound and tendency to come out in droves that follow specific patterns. Some of these insects emerge every year, while others only emerge every 13 or 17 years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Cicadas typically come out in the spring when the ground begins to warm up, and tend to stay out through late June. They have one goal — and no, it’s not to give people headaches and leave their carcasses lying everywhere.
Male cicadas produce “calling songs” to attract females to mate, according to the University of Connecticut’s Biodiversity Research Collections. These females then lay as many as 600 eggs in nests they make inside of living twigs.
Once the eggs hatch six to 10 weeks later, they will drop from the trees, burrow underground and remain there to develop until the cycle begins again.
For annual cicadas, this happens every year, University of Connecticut research shows. But for periodical cicadas like the upcoming swarms, these emergences occur far less frequently.
What’s so special about this year’s swarms?
This spring will mark the first time since 2015 that a 13-year brood will emerge at the same time as a 17-year brood, according to the University of Connecticut. It will also be the first time that two specific broods — known as Brood XIX and Brood XIII — have coemerged since 1803.
Despite this, experts say it’s unlikely that the broods will overlap in location. The 13-year Brood XIX will be spread across the Southeast and Midwest, while the 17-year Brood XIII will be more concentrated in the upper Midwest.
HABRAKEN/DELAWARE NEWS JOURNAL
Cicada brood map
University of Connecticut research shows that the likeliest point of contact between the broods is in Springfield, Illinois. And while there are chances that the broods may co-occur in small patches of woods in Illinois, research shows the broods will not overlap “to any significant extent.”
Does Delaware have any cicadas?
Yes, Delaware has cicadas. Fortunately, they won’t be bothering you this season.
According to a cicada brood map from the United States Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture,
Delaware is known to see Brood X, a species of the 17-year periodical cicadas.
Brood X cicadas last swarmed the state in 2021, meaning they are not due for another First State appearance until 2038.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on X at @h_edelman.