Billions (yes, billions) of Brood X cicadas will soon emerge



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Brood X is expected to emerge in around 18 states, Dr Kasson said.

In the past, Brood X cicadas have been spotted as far north as Michigan, as far south as Georgia, and as far west as Illinois. Other states where they could emerge include Kentucky, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Brood X, also known as the Great Eastern Brood, has three epicenters in parts of the country. One will be in the Washington, DC area, including Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland. Another will be rooted in Indiana, and there will be a smaller one in and around Knoxville, Tennessee, Dr. Kasson said.

Not all states will see great emergence of cicadas, said Chris Simon, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut. “Some of them are just a tiny corner,” she says.

Other states, like Texas, have cicadas every summer, but they’re usually annual or some other type of cicada, Dr. Simon said.

Because they feed on plants, cicadas can injure small trees and shrubs, but do not harm humans, Dr. Kasson said.

“They are really big and awkward,” he said.

If anything, he said, Americans should consider themselves lucky to witness the phenomenon. “It’s really something to admire,” he said.

However, they can be annoying because of the high-pitched buzz they make when looking for mates.

“The males go into a singing frenzy,” Dr Kasson said, adding that in some areas with many cicadas the sound can be deafening. “The result is this shrill cacophonous.”

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