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A rare double brood co-emergence of cicadas will see trillions of the wide-eyed critters clumsily buzz through 17 U.S. states over the next few months.
Better known for their cacophony of calls than their grace, there are more than 200 species of cicadas across North America, but the co-emergence of two specific broods of different life cycles happens only once every 221 years.
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The last time was 1803, when then-U. S. President Thomas Jefferson completed the Louisiana Purchase. The next time will be 2245.
The two broods, called XIX and XIII, have been developing underground for the last 13 and 17 years, respectively.
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When and where will the emergence occur?
From late April through June, the broods will be seen in the southeast and Midwest, from Oklahoma to Virginia and from Wisconsin to Louisiana. Although they will appear in 17 states, only one state is likely to see both broods. Both XIX and XIII are adjacent “but not significantly overlapping” in north-central Illinois, according to the University of Connecticut.
The other states are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Will Canada also be impacted?
While the U.S. is home to a range of periodical cicadas, the species of cicadas found in Canada are annual.
Species like Okanagana canadensis, known commonly as the Canadian Cicada, can be found across almost every province and territory, excluding the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. It is typically active from June to July, peaking in June.
Say’s Cicada is also found across Canada and is active from May to July, with a peak in June.
southern Ontario is home to Dog Day Cicadas, with their distinctive green markings.
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How do cicada emergences affect other wildlife?
There will be a lot of full bellies among predators of cicadas, which are just about anything with a mouth. A range of amphibians, birds, mammals, insects, arachnids and reptiles eat cicadas, with some even changing their diets to accommodate the glut.
“In some cases, this can lead to population increases in predators in subsequent years following a large emergence,” says David Althoff, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Biology in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Adult cicadas also get their nutrients from plants and trees and, in some cases, can cause damage to trees, according to Althoff, especially among younger and smaller trees.
However, when the adults die, “they fall to the ground and release nutrients back into the soil,” he says.
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