What to Expect from Brood X
Emily Ellis
You’ve probably been reading about it for months now: the much-anticipated Brood X - one of 15 periodical cicada broods found in the eastern United States - will erupt dramatically from the earth this spring after 17 years underground, to spend several wild weeks mating and dying above the surface.
While earlier cicada forecasts said the emergence would be in full force by early May, the unusually chilly weather has given us a bit of delay before Brood X really hits the scene. The Washington Post currently predicts that they’ll start to pop out of the dirt in droves around May 18th, when the soil temperature reaches around 64 degrees.
All the fuss over Brood X likely has gardeners, farmers, and other nature-loving folks - particularly those of us who are new to this part of the country - wondering what, if any, precautions need to taken to protect plants and livestock from the supposed swarm. Scroll down to read more about what to expect these fascinating insects.
What are these things?
Some people confuse cicadas with locusts, which also emerge in periodic, apocalyptic swarms. Unlike crop-eating locusts, however, cicadas aren’t destructive - despite their alarming appearance and ear-splitting mating call.
Markee, Cornelis. Naauwkeurige Verzameling Van Europasche Insekten. Middelburg, 1756.
There are two groups of these noisy, mysterious insects: annual, which pop out of the ground once a year or so, and periodical, which appear after around 13-17 years, a period they spent trundling around beneath the surface feeding on the fluids from plant roots. Researchers aren’t in agreement on why some cicadas have such long lives, but some believe it has to do with targeted glacial cycles.
E. Donovan. An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of China: Comprising Figures and Descriptions. London, 1798.
While cicadas are found all over the world, periodical cicadas only live in the central and eastern United States - which makes us pretty fortunate here in Virginia (or not, depending on how you feel about billions of large, buzzing insects). The first person to track and document the life cycle of the 17-year Brood X cicadas was Maryland scientist Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), a free Black man who did not receive credit for the remarkable find.
Cicadas have been gradually popping out of the ground in this area since April, but it hasn’t yet been really warm enough to drive them up in large numbers. This is what will happen when it is: once the cicadas emerge from the ground, they’ll climb up the nearest vertical surface and shed their exoskeletons. Then, they’ll spend the next few weeks mating and laying eggs in tiny holes they make in the branches of trees. About ten weeks later, the nymphs will hatch and burrow underground, not to be seen again for a couple of decades.
Will they harm my plants?
For the most part, you shouldn’t have much to worry about. Cicadas don’t eat plants, so other than flying around and getting in the way, they shouldn’t bother farmers and gardeners. The nymphs will drink the fluid from roots during their long stay underground, and while they might do damage to some young plants by feeding this way, it is nothing our Biocultural Conservation Farm team or gardening staff is too concerned about.
Female cicadas do, however, make slits in the branches of trees to lay their eggs. In older trees, this usually causes only minor damage; the trees will drop off the small, injured branches themselves - a process called “flagging.” In young trees and shrubs, particularly fruit trees, the damage might be more severe, resulting in stunted growth or death.
Photo by Sarah Causey
It’s a good idea to refrain from planting new trees until the fall if possible, said Oak Spring Head of Arboriculture, Conservation, and Landscapes Clif Brown. If you did plant young trees this spring, you may want to consider placing a fine netting over them to prevent damage - but there are pros and cons to such precautions.
“Wind can collect in the netting, snapping branches or even the trunk, or damaging the root ball, so you have to make sure to stake it down,” said Clif, who was working at Oak Spring during that last Brood X emergence in 2004. “It’s just Mother Nature - something that happens when you live in this area.”
This publication from The University of Maryland Extension has more information about how to manage trees and cicadas.
What about my animals?
As cicadas don’t bite, sting, and are non-toxic, they won’t pose a threat to pets, livestock, or people. However, you may have to keep an eye on animals like dogs and cats that will want to chase and eat them. Munching on a few of the tasty, crunchy insects should be fine, but if eaten in large numbers the exoskeletons can cause GI upset in cats and dogs.
Photo by Nick Sette
If you have chickens or other fowl, they will probably be very happy about the emerging brood, and your feed bill will probably be quite a bit lighter in the bargain ( you can even freeze some cicadas for later). Just make sure the chickens have plenty of grit, which accumulates in the gizzard and can help them digest the tough exoskeletons.
On that note, definitely don’t treat cicadas with pesticides - this will only end up harming the domestic and wild animals that will feast on the insects.
Ways to enjoy Brood X
If you have an adventurous palette, try eating them. They’re low-calorie, full of protein, taste something like “tree shrimp” (on that note, if you have a shellfish allergy or are concerned about possible mercury levels, you might want to give them a pass) and are eaten in many cultures around the world. In North America, they have a rich history as a food source for some Native American Tribes.
Photo by Flickr user Xiangrui Huang.
To create the best edible cicada experience, make sure you get them shortly after they’ve emerged from their exoskeletons, remove the wings, legs, and heads, and blanch them well. If you’re looking for culinary inspiration, Bon Appetit has a few fun cicada recipes from Virginia chefs that you can try.
Photo by Michael Carr
You can also engage with your creative side by making art and crafts out of the shells. Their legs stick to cloth, so nature-loving kids in particular will probably get a kick out of decorating the shells and arranging them on clothing or furniture (here’s a fun tutorial from Stay at Home Science). Of course, there is no age limit to playing with bugs!
Other than that, sit back and enjoy the show - you won’t get another like it for a while!
Thanks to Kimberley Fisher, Nick Sette, TJ Sherman, and Clif Brown for their help with this blogpost!