Spring is right around the corner, bringing with it blossoming flowers, plenty of rain showers, longer days, and…millions of cicadas. Yep, brace yourself for the return of the 17-year cicadas in Pennsylvania that will emerge from the ground by the millions this spring. They’ll bring with them their loud, familiar buzz.
Not since 2004 has the loud buzz of the brood cicadas been heard in parts of Pennsylvania, but that’s all set to change in both PA and several other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, and Ohio.
Every 17 years a natural phenomenon occurs, like clockwork, and the cicadas emerge from the ground at the end of their lifecycle to reproduce. The 2021 cicada emergence is also referred to as the Periodical cicada Brood X.
Only certain parts of Pennsylvania can expect the brood cicadas to return. (Much of Western Pennsylvania experienced brood cicadas, which had been underground since 2002, in 2019.) Those areas include Bedford, Bucks, Dauphin, and York counties.
Unlike the annual cicadas, the brood cicadas typically make their first appearance in May, once the ground temperature maintains a consistent 64 degrees Fahrenheit. They return underground sometime in June.
During the month that the cicadas are above ground, they’ll mate and then die. A female cicada generally lays up to 600 eggs at a time, although those that survive will have to be protected from such predators as frogs.
That loud buzz that permeates the air? That’s the mating call of the cicadas, which might be annoying. However, cicadas are completely harmless to humans.
Once the mating process is complete, the newly-hatched cicadas will go underground where they will stay for 17 years. Experts speculate that Periodical cicadas Brood X number in the billions.
Are you ready for the return of the cicadas to Pennsylvania? Join the conversation in the comments! Spring’s also the perfect time for hiking, isn’t it? Get your season started on a cheerful note with a stroll along the Fall Run Trail in Glenshaw.
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