Cicadas are annoying. But do they bite or sting? Here's what's fact and fiction.
Corrections & clarifications: A previous version of this story misidentified Brood XIII
Two separate cicada broods emerged in mid-May – a simultaneous event that hasn’t occurred in 221 years and won’t happen again until 2245.
Seventeen states are seeing “trillions” of Brood XIII and Brood XIX cicadas. That may feel like deja vu to many Americans who remember the Brood X cicadas of 2021, which emerged in most of the Midwest and some eastern states.
Most people aren't thinking about the novelty of it, though. They're likely dreading a yard full of dead carcasses and the seemingly never-ending noise. But are cicadas harmful to you or your yard?
Do cicadas bite?
Cicadas do not bite because they don’t have those mouthparts, pest experts previously told the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network. They instead use a long, straw-like tube to suck the fluids from trees.
Are cicadas harmful?
Though annoying, cicadas are not harmful to you or your pets. There’s no need to be concerned about your dog or cat eating fallen cicadas. Many wildlife species will even benefit from the extra protein.
They may also help your plants – the decomposing bodies of cicadas contain lots of nitrogen, which makes for good fertilizer, IndyStar reports. There is some concern for small trees, however, because female cicadas use a saw-like appendage to lay eggs on them, causing damage to branches. This results in a “natural pruning,” experts previously told USA TODAY and you may see “flagging,” or patches of withered and wilted leaves. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends wrapping young tree branches in mesh.
The only harm might be to your sanity – cicadas make a buzzing noise that can be as loud as a lawnmower, about 100 decibels. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's legal limit for noise level in the workplace is 90 decibels over eight hours, the length of an average workday in the U.S.
But cicadas are unlikely to cause hearing damage for the average American, who likely isn’t getting close enough or staying near them long enough to experience adverse effects, experts previously told USA TODAY.
Still, the noise can cause anxiety or discomfort, especially for those with sensory sensitivity. Check out USA TODAY’s full guide on how to tune out the fears of cicada noise.
Tips and tricks: How to save your trees and shrubs from damage
When do cicadas come out in 2024?
The two cicada broods will begin to emerge starting in mid-May and ending in late June. If the weather is consistently warm and dry, the cicadas will finish mating sooner, which would mean a shorter season. Their typical lifespan is four to six weeks, and they will start to die off in late June.
Expect cicadas in these states:
Alabama
Arkansas
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Wisconsin
Virginia
How long do cicadas live?: When you can expect the bugs to die off
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do cicadas bite? What to know during 'Cicadageddon' 2024.
