Remember 2013, when much of New Jersey was abuzz with cicadas? The large red-eyed insects were everywhere, their chorus filled the air, and they left piles of translucent shells beneath big, old trees.
Well, they’re back – four years early!
Scientists at a May 21 “Bioblitz” at the Mount Rose Preserve in Hopewell Township – an event held to inventory the preserve’s species - were amazed to find cicadas among the insect life. The next brood of 17-year cicadas – Brood 10, or as scientists prefer to call it, Brood X – isn’t due until 2021.
So what is happening? New Jersey is not the only place experiencing an early visit from Brood X, last seen in 2004.
According to the cicada-tracking websites Cicadamania.com and Magicicada.org, Brood X cicadas are emerging in several Eastern and Midwestern states, including New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York (Long Island), Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.
These cicadas are known as “periodical” cicadas, because their life cycles span 13-year or 17-year periods, as opposed to annual cicadas that show up every summer. They’re also commonly referred to as 17-year locusts.
Periodical cicadas that emerge ahead of schedule are called “stragglers.” It’s a bit confusing, since the word usually refers to those lagging behind … and these cicadas are coming out in advance of the main group. When significant numbers of cicadas emerge ahead of the main brood it’s called an acceleration, and the accelerated group sometimes reproduces and creates a whole new brood that follows its own 17-year cycle.
Why emerge early? Scientists theorize that a less predictable life cycle improves cicadas’ odds of surviving predators and parasites.
It’s too soon to tell if this year’s Brood X stragglers will emerge in large enough numbers to make a new brood – but even if they don’t, their surprise appearance gives us an opportunity to observe one of nature’s wonders. The Latin genus name for these cicadas is Magicicada, and they are indeed magical!
Cool cicada facts:
To find out more about periodical cicadas, go to the Cicadamania website at www.cicadamania.com. It includes maps of where they’re likely to emerge, fun facts about life cycles and habitats, videos and recordings of songs. If you’ve seen or heard cicadas near your home, you can help citizen science by reporting them to www.Magicicada.org.
And for information about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, go to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.
** Mount Rose Preserve is owned and managed by New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, Hopewell Township, and Mercer County. This land was preserved by these partners along with Hopewell Valley Citizen’s Group Inc., NJ Green Acres Program, Stony-Brook Millstone Watershed Association, Hopewell Borough, Pennington Borough, Friends of Princeton Open Space, D&R Greenway Land Trust, Lawrence Township, and Princeton.
These cicadas are known as “periodical” cicadas, because their life cycles span 13-year or 17-year periods, as opposed to annual cicadas that show up every summer. They’re also commonly referred to as 17-year locusts.
Periodical cicadas that emerge ahead of schedule are called “stragglers.” It’s a bit confusing, since the word usually refers to those lagging behind … and these cicadas are coming out in advance of the main group. When significant numbers of cicadas emerge ahead of the main brood it’s called an acceleration, and the accelerated group sometimes reproduces and creates a whole new brood that follows its own 17-year cycle.
Why emerge early? Scientists theorize that a less predictable life cycle improves cicadas’ odds of surviving predators and parasites.
It’s too soon to tell if this year’s Brood X stragglers will emerge in large enough numbers to make a new brood – but even if they don’t, their surprise appearance gives us an opportunity to observe one of nature’s wonders. The Latin genus name for these cicadas is Magicicada, and they are indeed magical!
Cool cicada facts:
To find out more about periodical cicadas, go to the Cicadamania website at www.cicadamania.com. It includes maps of where they’re likely to emerge, fun facts about life cycles and habitats, videos and recordings of songs. If you’ve seen or heard cicadas near your home, you can help citizen science by reporting them to www.Magicicada.org.
And for information about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, go to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.
** Mount Rose Preserve is owned and managed by New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, Hopewell Township, and Mercer County. This land was preserved by these partners along with Hopewell Valley Citizen’s Group Inc., NJ Green Acres Program, Stony-Brook Millstone Watershed Association, Hopewell Borough, Pennington Borough, Friends of Princeton Open Space, D&R Greenway Land Trust, Lawrence Township, and Princeton.
POSTS
Still the Garden State!ARCHIVE
December 2018