Brood XIV cicadas start to re-emerge in Western North Carolina in 2025. (Photo courtesy ofLoui Lindsay)
5
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — After spending nearly two decades beneath the surface, Brood XIV cicadas are emerging across Western North Carolina in one of nature's most fascinating and loudest events.
These insects belong to a group known as periodical cicadas, which surface in large numbers every 13 or 17 years. Brood XIV is on a 17-year cycle, meaning the last time they appeared was back in 2008.
Chrissy Cochran, education specialist at the WNC Nature Center, says the buzz has already begun.
"When you go outside, you can hear this loud buzzing, and I've had a lot of people come up to me and ask what these alien-like sounds are," Cochran said.
WNC BRACES FOR MORE SHOWERS, THUNDERSTORMS AS MAY'S RAIN TOTALS RISE ABOVE AVERAGE
WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile explains that these long-cycle cicadas are native to the south and eastern United States.
"The 13- and 17-year cicadas are a species that are native to the southern and eastern United States, so this is not really a phenomenon you see in other parts of the world. There are cicadas in other parts of the world, but not to this amount in numbers that emerge at one time," Gentile said.
Gentile says millions of cicadas can emerge during this time.
These cicadas emerge when soil temperatures reach the mid-60s. These insects will come out of the ground and molt. After they molt, the adults will mate and the eggs will hatch, according to Gentile. The newly-hatched cicadas will burrow into the ground and live for 13 to 17 years, feeding on plant roots until the cycle begins again.
The WNC Nature Center embraces the arrival of the cicadas at their new butterfly exhibit.
LOCAL CONTRACTOR REPORTS UP TO 15 NEW BAT CAVE AREA MUDSLIDES, LANDSLIDES AFTER RAIN
"Here at the nature center, not only do we teach about the animals that are in our exhibits and a part of our collection, but we also teach about the invited wildlife that comes in. In this case, cicadas and butterflies that use our facility and the flowers and the nutrients here to continue their life cycle," said Gentile.
These cicadas also play a valuable ecological role. Gentile says that the cicadas are harmless and are a great snack for the turtles and other animals at the WNC Nature Center. The exoskeletons of the cicadas provide nutrients and a good source of protein for snakes and lizards.
In addition to these periodical cicadas, Western North Carolina is home to annual cicadas, which appear later in the summer. According to Gentile, the collective sound of Brood XIV is noticeably louder than the annual cicadas we typically hear later in the year.
READ THE COMMENTS (5)
The next time we will see - and hear - Brood XIV will be in 2042.