LEXINGTON, Ky. – This spring will mark the 17-year emergence of billions of cicadas from the ground across the region. However, while the sound might a few decibels higher than average, don’t expect much more.

“Periodical cicadas are not a pest necessarily, especially of people,” said Jonathan Larson, an extension entomologist at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment. “They are not going to bite us. They are not going to attack us. They are not inherently toxic to pets. There can be some annoyance with the noise they produce, especially if you are standing right next to them. It’s like standing next to a jet airplane.”

The cicadas will be a part of Brood X and will mostly inhabit the Midwest while also reaching south into parts of Georgia and as far north as New York. Larson said that those who have young trees, especially newly transplants which can be potential hosts to the bugs, should prepare to protect their trees. Host trees include young oaks and fruit trees. 

“Those can be damaged as the female cicadas lay their eggs in their branches,” Larson said. “Getting some netting with holes that are less than ½-inch wide and wrapping it around the young trees for about six weeks while the insects are out will keep those females from laying their eggs on them.”

This year’s cicada brood is expected to emerge in early May and end in late June. Cicadas usually come out of the ground when soil beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees. A warm rain will often trigger an emergence.

Two types of cicadas populate the eastern United States: the dog-day, or annual, cicada, and the periodical cicada. The lifecycle of the annual cicada typically spans two to five years and are “annual” only in the sense that members of the species reappear each spring. The name is used to distinguish them from the periodical cicada species, which occur only in Eastern North America, are developmentally synchronized, and appear in great swarms every 13 or 17 years. All other cicadas from all other biogeographic regions produce annual broods, so the distinction is not made outside of North America.

Fifteen broods have been described by scientists and are designated by Roman numerals. There are three 13-year cicada broods (XIX, XXII and XXIII), and 12 of the 17- year cicada broods (I-X, XIII and XIV). Also, there are three distinct species of 17-year cicadas (M. septendecim, M. cassini and M. septendecula) and three species of 13-year cicadas (M. tredecim, M. tredecassini and M. tredecula).