Charleston, West Virginia — Prepare for a natural spectacle this spring as billions of cicadas from Brood XIV emerge across multiple states, including West Virginia. These 17-year-old cicadas, last seen when George W. Bush was wrapping up his presidency and Apple was getting ready to launch the App Store, have returned, bringing their deafening buzz with them.
A 17-Year Cycle Nears Its Peak
Brood XIV cicadas (Magicicada septendecim, cassini, and septendecula) spend 17 years underground before mass emergence. What triggered the event? Soil temperatures reach 64 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, softened by spring rains.
These insects, which range from the South to the Northeast, will begin their ascent in northern Georgia around the third week of April, followed by West Virginia in the second week of May.
Emergence Timeline Across States
Based on last year’s patterns, the cicadas will emerge in a predictable order.
Tennessee sees them in the fourth week of April, and Kentucky in the first week of May. By the second week of May, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania will have joined the party. Massachusetts concludes the sequence in late May.
Once they start, it takes two weeks for all cicadas in a given area to claw their way out.
The Buzz That Drowns Out Planes
Five days after emerging, male cicadas begin their courtship ritual, filling the air with a buzz that reaches 90 decibels—sometimes 102 decibels. That is louder than planes landing at Dulles Airport.
The sound swells for two weeks as more males join in, then fades after five weeks as the adults die off. For six weeks, trees will host these noisy visitors.
Life Above and Below Ground
After mating, females lay eggs in tree branches. When the nymphs hatch, they descend to the soil, burrow in, and spend the next 17 years feeding on grass and tree roots. Gene Kritsky, Professor Emeritus of Biology at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, has been tracking this cycle for years, providing insight into this amazing phenomenon.
Brace yourselves, West Virginia readers—this spring promises an unforgettable symphony from Brood XIV.
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