Parts of the eastern United States are preparing for the emergence of the 13-year brood, Brood XIX.  This brood has the widest distribution of any of the periodical cicadas.  The major emergence is expected to start during the first half of May.  Four species of cicadas with synchronized life cycles will be emerging in 2011.

Periodical cicadas emerge in large numbers to overwhelm their predators, which is the cicadas’ survival strategy.  After the emergence of the adults, the male cicadas will gather in trees to sing to attract mates.  Following mating, the females will lay between 400-600 eggs in the terminal growth of tree branches. The eggs will hatch in approximately 8 weeks, and the minute cicada hatchlings will quickly dig into the soil to feed on grass roots, before they burrow down 10-12 inches beneath the surface to feed on tree roots.

The cicadas that will emerge this year were produced from eggs that were laid when Bill Clinton was president.  This year’s brood, Brood XIX, will next appear in 2024.