cicada singing on a tree in the summer sun

535829147

cicada singing on a tree in the summer sun

Photo by: piermichelemalucchi

piermichelemalucchi

Cicadas: An Early Invasion

By: Leah Weber

Match point, 2020. Early cicadas are here to ruin your quiet outdoor moments.

June 09, 2020

It is 2020. We’re currently living through a global pandemic, civil unrest all over the world, and don’t forget the threat of murder hornets, among other radically tragic events and occurrences that in any other year would be an entire feature. But this year, on top of everything, the cicadas are coming early. Yeah, you heard right.

The Early Shift

In the late spring and early summer months, you’re likely to have encountered these massive flying insects with distinguishably large eyes. They are on a mating and life cycle of 13 or 17 years—meaning, they don’t plague the human population annually, but when they do show up, they make it a summer to remember. Though it may seem like they do show up every year, they are more or less on shifts with lifecycles that occur rotationally.

Many entomologists spend their life’s work dedicated to tracking cicadas globally by observing their mating and growth cycles. And it looks like we’re set to get a large group of these prehistoric and noisy winged pests show up earlier than anticipated.

Early Brood Catches the Worm

Cicadas alight on a plant in Virginia, U.S. Photographer: Julia Schmalz/Bloomberg

958992742

Cicadas alight on a plant in Virginia, U.S. Photographer: Julia Schmalz/Bloomberg

Photo by: Bloomberg Creative Photos

Bloomberg Creative Photos

Classified by brood, or breeding group, the Chicago suburbs are getting an early invasion, four years ahead of schedule. A likely explanation for this is climate change. The fluctuation of temperature throughout the seasons—warmth at Christmas, snow on Memorial Day, which are traditional signs of a warming planet, also have implications on the lifecycle of cicadas.

So this year, when you are taking an evening stroll and hear a buzzing sound louder than the person standing directly next to you, assume your conversation is being infiltrated by an adjacent swarm of cicadas. Their resilience is astounding, but who knows, maybe we should keep an eye on the ones that show up during 2020.

Next Up

Meet Brood X: Billions of Cicadas Emerging Soon Within Eastern U.S.

Do you hear it? If you live in the Eastern U.S., it's likely the noisy entrance of the cicadas from Brood X as they emerge for the first time in 17 years.

Australia Bushfires: How to Help

Help Discovery support victims and animals affected by devastating bushfires.

Animals Perished in Texas Winter Snowstorm

Hundreds of helpless animals remained unprotected and froze to death in light of Texas’ winter catastrophe.

Brazil’s President Could Be Charged Over Amazon Destruction

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro could face international criminal charges in the Hague over his part in the destruction of the country’s Amazon rainforest.

Wildfire Destruction Amplified by Fire Tornadoes

Escalating temperatures and high winds come together in late summer to create the perfect firestorm. For the past several weeks, wildfires have been plaguing the western United States and there is one additional red flag - tornadoes.

The Legend of the Black Mamba

How a snake inspired Kobe Bryant’s beloved nickname.

Monkeys Steal COVID-19 Tests

During the pandemic, these primates in India have taken “Monkey Business” to a whole new level.

Clear Skies During Lockdown is a Pandemic Upside

With almost all of the world under lockdown, cars are off the roads and the smog is disappearing in some of the planet’s most polluted atmospheres.

Could our Outdoors be Saved by the Unlikeliest Source?

Congress just passed a once in a lifetime 'Great America Outdoors Act' and here's what that means for the environment.

The Battle to Save California Mountain Lions

California is considering protecting mountain lions in certain parts of the state through the Endangered Species Act – but not everyone is happy about it.