Uh oh, North Carolina. Parts of the state will see and hear an insurgence of cicadas later this spring and, in case you don't remember the last time cicadas invaded the landscape, it's expected to get very noisy in some places. Read on to learn about the explosion of cicadas in North Carolina in the coming months.
It's believed that more than 3,000 species of cicada exist worldwide.
Commonly mistaken for locusts, cicadas are known for living underground as nymphs for as little as one year to 13-17 years before emerging to breed and lay eggs again in the bark of trees that dot the landscape.
They exist in a number of emergence patterns, including annual cicadas and periodic cicadas. Both remain underground as nymphs when not actively breeding.
The species expected to cause all of the noise in North Carolina in the coming months is referred to as Brood Nine (or Brood IX).
If you live in Ashe, Alleghany, Surry, Wilkes, Forsyth, or Stokes County, then prepare for some noise beginning in late April through to early May.
Don't be surprised if you find yourself covering your ears. A single cicada has the capability to damage a human's hearing. Its 'song' has been clocked as high as 120 decibels!
It's no wonder that a group of cicadas is called a CHORUS!
Only the male of the species is known to sing with such veracity.
Other than being utterly annoying with noise, cicadas are relatively harmless.
They feed on the sap from trees and occasionally break small limbs on young trees.
When can you expect the cicadas to emerge from their 17-year slumber?
The concert will begin when the soil reaches 64 degrees at least eight inches below the surface. The emergence also often coincides with a spring rainfall in late April to early May.
With so many species of cicada, it's possible for a different brood to appear every year. Do you recall seeing or hearing cicadas in your neck of the state in previous years?
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