How to Survive a Cicada Infestation

What is a Cicada?

A cicada is an insect known for loud mating calls, typically produced by males to attract females. These insects are divided into two groups: annual cicadas, which appear yearly, and periodical cicadas, which emerge in large groups every 13 or 17 years. Cicadas have stout bodies, broad heads, transparent wings, and large eyes. While harmless to humans, they can damage young trees when laying eggs. Cicadas spend most of their lives underground as nymphs, emerging only to reproduce.

Understanding Cicada Biology and Their Lifecycle

Cicadas are intriguing insects with a lifecycle and behaviors that significantly impact their environments. This section explores cicadas’ biological traits and lifecycle patterns, which are crucial for devising effective management strategies.

Cicada Fundamentals: Knowing Your Enemy

Cicadas are divided into two primary types: annual cicadas and periodical cicadas.

• Annual Cicadas: These cicadas appear every year. They are typically green and spend 2-5 years as nymphs underground before emerging, although they emerge annually due to overlapping generations.
• Periodical Cicadas: Known for their striking black bodies and red eyes, they emerge synchronously in large numbers after spending 13 or 17 years underground. Their long developmental period and synchronized emergence are survival strategies that overwhelm predators, ensuring enough survival to reproduce.

The Rhythms of Emergence: When and Why Cicadas Surface

The emergence of cicadas is intricately tied to specific environmental cues:

• Temperature Trigger: Cicadas typically emerge when the soil temperature consistently reaches about 64°F (18°C) at a depth of 8 inches. This condition usually occurs in late spring or early summer.
• Survival Strategy: The timing ensures the ground is warm enough for active metabolism but not so hot as to risk desiccation. Emerging en masse maximizes the chances of survival and successful reproduction by satiating predators with sheer numbers before they can eat a significant portion of the population.

Predicting and Preparing for Emergence

• Monitoring Soil Temperatures: Homeowners and gardeners can monitor local soil temperatures to predict the emergence more accurately.
• Preventative Measures: Knowing the approximate emergence time allows for preparing protective measures for young plants and trees susceptible to cicada damage.

2024 Cicada Emergence: Broods XIII and XIX

In 2024, a unique natural phenomenon will occur as Brood XIII and Brood XIX cicadas emerge simultaneously across the eastern United States. This simultaneous emergence marks a rare event not seen since 1803. These two broods, which have 17 and 13-year cycles, will emerge when the soil temperature consistently reaches about 64°F, typically in late spring to early summer. This section will explore what to expect and how to prepare for their arrival.

What to Expect During the Emergence

• Large Populations: Cicada densities can be incredibly high, potentially exceeding a million per acre in favorable conditions. This immense population will create an extraordinary display, often described as a “spectacular, ma”abre Mardi Gras” of insects.
• Geographical Spread: Brood XIII will mainly affect areas with a historical pattern of emergence every 17 years, while Brood XIX, following a 13-year cycle, will emerge in slightly different regions. Despite their vast numbers, these broods are expected to appear in distinct but concurrent patterns across multiple states without significant overlap.
• Timing and Temperature: The emergence is triggered by soil temperatures reaching about 64°F at a depth of eight inches. Depending on local climate conditions, this is most likely to occur from late May through June.

Preparation and Impact Management

• Noise Preparation: The noise from the collective chirping of millions of cicadas can be overwhelming. Residents might consider soundproofing measures or planning outdoor activities around peak emergence times.
• Protecting Young Trees: Cicadas can cause damage to young trees when they lay eggs in small branches. It’s advisable to use fine netting to cover young trees and shrubs to prevent cicadas from laying eggs on them.
  • Avoid planting new trees or doing extensive pruning just before the emergence season.
• Dealing with Cicada Debris: After the cicadas die, their bodies can accumulate quickly, requiring prompt cleanup to prevent odor and decay in residential areas. Here are some tips for managing this:
  • Regularly clean up cicada bodies from your property to maintain sanitation.
  • Consider composting cicada bodies if municipal waste management systems allow, as they are organic matter.
• Public Health and Safety: While cicadas are not directly harmful to humans, the number of insects can be a nuisance. Keeping windows and doors closed or screened is critical to prevent cicadas from entering homes.
  • Be aware that pets may try to eat the cicadas, which are generally harmless but can cause digestive upset if they consume too many.

During the Infestation: How to Cope with the Swarm

When cicadas emerge en masse, their presence can be overwhelming due to the intense noise and the mess created by their large numbers.

Here are a few strategies to help you manage these aspects effectively.

Noise Management: Keeping the Peace Amidst the Buzz

Cicadas are notorious for their loud mating calls, which can be as loud as 100 decibels—similar to a motorcycle running. Here are some ways to manage the noise:

• Use Soundproofing Techniques: Installing soundproof windows or adding thick curtains can significantly reduce the amount of noise that enters your home.
• Create Quiet Zones: Identify parts of your home that are naturally quieter and use them as relaxation areas during peak cicada activity.
• Use White Noise: Devices that produce white noise or play background music can help mask the cicada’s buzz, making it less disruptive.

Handling Cicada Presence: Hygiene and Maintenance

After the cicadas die, their bodies can accumulate, creating a potential mess and health hazard. Here’s how to handle the cleanup:

• Regular Cleaning: Sweep or vacuum your property regularly to collect cicada bodies before they decompose and cause odor problems.
• Use Protective Gear: When cleaning up cicada debris, wear gloves and a mask to avoid direct contact with the insects, which might carry allergens.
• Proper Disposal: Cicada bodies should be disposed of in sealed bags to prevent them from attracting other pests. Composting is also an option for those who prefer a more environmentally friendly method.

Long-term Strategies and Community Involvement

Building resilience to cicada infestations isn’t just about immediate actions; it involves long-term strategies and community involvement that can significantly reduce the impact of these events over time. This section explores how collective efforts and policies can strengthen community preparedness for cicada emergences.

Building Cicada Resilience: Community Actions and Policies

Working together as a community can make a big difference in managing cicada infestations effectively:

• Organize Community Clean-Ups: Coordinate with local government and community organizations to arrange clean-up days after major cicada emergences. This helps keep public spaces clean and reduces the workload on individual property owners.
• Share Resources: Set up programs to share expensive resources like netting. This can be especially helpful for protecting young trees in community spaces and private gardens.
• Develop Local Policies: Work with local authorities to create guidelines that help manage cicada impacts, such as waste disposal procedures during peak emergence times.

Educational Opportunities: Learning from Each Emergence

Every cicada emergence offers valuable lessons about the natural world and our place within it:

• School Programs: Encourage schools to include lessons on cicadas in their science curricula during emergence years. This can cover topics from cicada biology to the ecological impacts of their life cycles.
• Community Workshops: Host workshops at local community centers or libraries that educate the public about cicadas. These can include how to protect property from damage, the benefits of cicadas to the ecosystem, and how to handle the insects safely and hygienically.
• Citizen Science Projects: Promote participation in citizen science projects that track cicada emergences, such as smartphone apps that collect data on sightings. This helps scientists gather valuable data and engages the community in a hands-on learning experience.

Conclusion: Embracing the Cicada Cycle

Cicada emergences should not be seen as inconvenient infestations but as integral parts of our local ecosystems. This section discusses how, with the right preparation and mindset, we can protect our living spaces and appreciate the remarkable natural cycle of cicadas.

Embrace and Prepare: Understanding Leads to Harmony

Understanding the biology and behavior of cicadas is crucial for living harmoniously with them. Here’s how both mitigate their impacts and enjoy their presence:

• Educate Yourself and Others: Learning about cicadas in the ecosystem helps shift the perspective from viewing them as pests to appreciating them as essential ecological actors. Share this knowledge with neighbors and local community groups to broaden this understanding.

• Implement Preventative Measures: To minimize inconvenience, proactive measures include using mesh netting over young trees and scheduling outdoor activities outside peak cicada hours.

• Prepare for Their Arrival: Knowing when cicadas will likely emerge, based on soil temperature and historical patterns, allows for timely preparations that reduce their impact on your daily life.

• Appreciate the Phenomenon: Take the time to observe cicadas’ fascinating behaviors and lifecycle. This can be a unique educational opportunity for both children and adults, transforming an otherwise disruptive event into an enriching experience.

• Foster Community Initiatives: Engage in or initiate community efforts to manage and learn from cicada emergences. This could include community talks, shared resources for tree protection, and clean-up efforts post-emergence.

By embracing cicadas as a natural part of our environment and preparing adequately for their arrival, we can reduce their impact while enhancing our appreciation for the natural world. This balanced approach alleviates the challenges posed by cicadas and enriches our interaction with local biodiversity.

Fascinating Cicada Facts

These fascinating aspects highlight cicadas not just as noisy insects but as creatures with complex behaviors and significant ecological roles.

• Ancient Inhabitants: Cicadas have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, with fossils dating back over 200 million years.
• Long Underground Life: Periodical cicadas spend most of their life—13 or 17 years—underground as nymphs, which is among the longest lifespans for any insect.
• Loud Chorus: Cicadas are among the loudest insects in the world, with their calls reaching up to 100 decibels, equivalent to the noise level of a motorcycle.
• Temperature Sensitive: The exact timing of a cicada’s emergence from the ground is determined by soil temperature—specifically, they begin to emerge when the soil at about eight inches deep reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prime Numbered Lifecycles: The 13 or 17-year lifecycle periods of periodical cicadas are thought to help avoid synchronization with predator cycles, a clever evolutionary strategy to evade extinction.
• Symbol of Immortality: In many cultures, cicadas symbolize rebirth and immortality, particularly because of their long underground phases followed by brief, vibrant adult lives.
• Culinary Delight: In some parts of the world, cicadas are considered a delicacy and eaten for their high protein content, often prepared by frying or roasting.
• Cicada Song: Only male cicadas can sing. They produce their iconic sound using a membrane called a tymbal located on their abdomen.
• Mass Emergence: When periodical cicadas emerge, they do so in huge numbers, sometimes in the millions, which overwhelms predators and ensures that enough of them survive to reproduce.
• Natural GPS: Research suggests that cicadas might be able to count the annual cycles of trees to keep track of time during their long underground phase.