MARCA
Everything you need to know about the 17-year cicadas in the USA
Brood X cicadas in the USA Carolyn KasterAP
Billions of cicadas are appearing in eastern and midwestern US states, emerging after 17 years below the ground. The Brood X cicadas only appear every 17 years, so haven't been seen since 2004.
This year, they're back and are expected to be seen in 15 different states, as well as the District of Columbia. Their emergence depends on the climate, so they'll appear in different states at different times over the coming weeks.
Here comes a look at the phenomenon of the Brood X cicadas and everything you need to know as they return in 2021.
Why do Brood X cicadas only appear every 17 years?
The emergence of cicadas every 17 years is a natural phenomenon. When they are born, they hatch from their eggs and burrow into the ground. There, they spend the next 17 years of their lives, surviving on the sap of tree roots.
After 17 years, Brood X cicadas - like most other 17-year cicadas - wait for the soil to reach the right temperature. They want the soil to be around 64°F or 18 °C.
Logically, the soil in different areas reaches this temperature at different times. This is why cicadas will appear at different times of the year in different parts of the United States.
Then, they spend four to six weeks looking for a mate, before the process begins all over again for the next generation.
What is the map of Brood X cicadas for 2021?
The cicadas are expected to emerge in Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
As seen in the below map from AccuWeather, this is the area of the USA that they should cover.
Do Brood X cicadas bite?
Adult cicadas don't usually bite humans. The only reason they would do so is if they remain on a human for a long time and if they mistake that person for a part of a plant. They would, in that situation, use their mouth to penetrate, looking to suck up what they'd think were plant juices.
Even if a human is bitten by a cicada, there shouldn't be irritation. So, their bites are not something to worry about.
They can still be annoying, though, as president Joe Biden found out himself on Wednesday.