“The populations in Michigan didn’t emerge in 2007, so it’s unlikely that they will be active this year,” said Burrack.
Regardless, here’s what you might want to know about cicadas ahead of the 2024 double emergence.
When will the cicadas emerge?
“Broods change in size and geographic range from emergence to emergence primarily because of human development.
Broods XIX and XIII: Check out the 2024 cicada map This year, the emergence of Brood XIII and Brood XIX at the same time creates a much larger cicada span.
“Periodic cicadas are thought to be pretty lousy fliers and usually stay near the area they emerge in,” she said.
More:Cicadas emerging after 17 years pee together like rain (freep.com) What if I want to see this year’s emergence?
“Folks will have the best luck heading to Indiana and Illinois if they are interested in seeing Brood XIII,” she said.
This time, the buzzing bugs have returned with a droning double feature.
For the first time in 221 years, two broods—the 13-year “Great Southern Brood” (Brood XIX) and the 17-year “Northern Illinois Brood” (Brood XIII)—are arising in the same year. They span as far north as Wisconsin, as far west as Missouri, as far east as North Carolina, and as far south as Louisiana. However, Michigan won’t be as overrun with bugs as other states.
Hannah Burrack, a professor and chair of the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University, says that while Brood XIII crosses into south Michigan, we shouldn’t anticipate seeing a lot of cicadas here.
Burrack stated that it is improbable that the populations in Michigan will be active this year since they did not emerge in 2007. Although it’s feasible, I wouldn’t raise our expectations. “.
Either way, before the double emergence in 2024, here are some things you might want to know about cicadas.
What are cicadas exactly, and why is it important that I know?
There are over 3,000 different species of cicadas in North America. They have four transparent wings, tiny bristle-like antennae, and a length of one to two inches. Some of the species, which total seven, only emerge from the ground in groups called “broods” once every thirteen or seventeen years to reproduce.
Those are “periodic,” as opposed to annual or non-periodic cicadas, which have a single year of life that culminates in a late summer trip to the surface.
The reason why periodic cicadas emerge in broods every 13 or 17 years is still unknown to scientists, but they surmise that it is an evolutionary adaptation to fend off predators. When millions of cicadas burst above ground at once, predators will not only be overwhelmed, but they will also swiftly exhaust their prey supply, leaving plenty of cicadas behind to produce another generation of cicadas.
Mature cicadas wait to emerge as adults for 13 or 17 years, during which time they feed on the sap from perennial plant roots.
What time will the cicadas sing?
Cicadas are known to emerge when soil temperatures reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, so scientists predict that late April or early May will be when the insects first appear.
Not for long, though, as the cicadas will soon leave. After emerging, they will search for a mate for a while, lay eggs if they are female, and then, approximately one month later, they will perish.
Are cicadas harmful?
Cicadas are essentially safe. In addition to not biting or stinging, they don’t consume any plants or animals save the liquids that they draw from woody shrubs and trees.
Burrack only raises an issue if you recently planted baby shrubs or trees in an area where cicadas are expected to emerge. This is because female cicadas typically target twigs or thin branches to deposit their eggs. In egg masses, this can harm the immature plant, so to protect it from the female cicadas, wrap the plant in garden cloth or row cover fabric.
What distinguishes the cicadas of this year from those of 2021?
The Great Eastern Brood, or 17-year Brood X, invaded the eastern United States in 2021. S. in regions of southeast Michigan as well as in states like Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana, and more. Even so, entomologists were disappointed and entomophobes were relieved that the numbers were lower than in previous emergences.
From emergence to emergence, a brood’s size and geographic range vary mostly due to human development. They require tree and shrub hosts to be present throughout their life cycle, so populations will be decreased or possibly wiped out completely if wooded areas are cleared in the years between emergences, according to Burrack.
View the 2024 Cicada Map for Broods XIX and XIII.
This year’s much greater cicada span is caused by the simultaneous emergence of Broods XIII and XIX. Precisely 17 states are predicted to be within their reach, with some overlap between the two broods in Indiana and Illinois. Although Burrack affirms that the only group with a significant presence in Michigan is Brood X, fewer are anticipated in Michigan than in 2021.
Will they fly into Michigan if they have wings?
Burrack said, “No.”.
According to her, “periodic cicadas are generally believed to be pretty bad flyers and stay close to the area they emerge in.”. If winters warm up, populations might gradually migrate north, but it would probably take hundreds of years and require enough forested area to sustain them. “.”.
Further: 17 years later, cicadas reappear and pee in unison like rain (freep.com).
What if I want to witness the emergence this year?
Burrack advises driving a little bit southwest to our neighbors in the two-brood overlap areas if you’re an entomophile hoping to witness this once-in-221-year event.
“If people want to see Brood XIII, their best bet is to go to Indiana and Illinois,” she advised.
