Tag: Cicada

Rare co-emergence of cicada broods

Two broods, Brood XIX and Brood XIII, live in different regions and began to emerge in the United States in May 2024.

Watch Time’s 2-minute YouTube to find out why 2024 was special for cicadas in North America.

Find out more about periodical cicadas at the University of Connecticut’s website linked to Dr. John R. Cooley‘s MagiCicada Project. Unfortunately, Canadians are not projected to see tremendous cicada emergence this year. However, quoting directly from the University of Connecticut’s website, “2024 is a special year for periodical cicadas:
• For the first time since 2015 a 13-year brood will emerge in the same year as a 17-year brood.
• For the first time since 1998 adjacent 13-and 17-year broods will emerge in the same year.
• For the first time since 1803 Brood XIX and XIII will co-emerge.
• You will be able to see all seven named periodical cicada species as adults in the same year, which will not happen again until 2037. You will not see all seven named species emerge in the state of Illinois again until 2041.”

Weekly Update – Brood X Cicadas

Cicadas are well known for their long life cycles.  Some species follow an annual life cycle but the more “famous” have broods that emerge on 13- or 17-year cycles.  The big news this year in North America is that Brood X cicadas are emerging 4 years earlier than anticipated!


Researchers originally following the emergence of Brood VI cicadas in South Carolina and Georgia observed Brood X cicadas emerging this spring.  The phenomenon was then observed in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Ohio and Indiana.  

Researchers continue to follow the emergence of both broods of cicadas but the earlier-than-expected appearance of Brood X is described to be related to, “warming climate, with more warm weeks a year during which the underground nymphs can grow” which, “could be triggering some cicadas to emerge ahead of their brood”.  Read the Scientific American article to learn more.