Public Education Class

Preparing Your Garden for the Seventeen-Year Cicadas
What is the big deal about cicadas? Enjoy Extension Agent Kirsten Conrad’s presentation on the impending emergence of Brood X of the 17-Year Cicadas. The Great Eastern Brood’s three species of cicadas will emerge from their long underground life cycle stage between mid-May and late June. Learn about their life cycle and how to protect plants from their feeding and egg laying activities. Special guest Natural Resources Manager for Arlington County, Alonso Abugattas, sat in on the presentation and answered questions in the chat.
Zoom session, recorded March 26, 2021
Video of Presentation

Photo © Mary Free
FAQs and Chat Box Queries from Cicada Presentation
- Brood X: The great eastern brood. 2021. Map. University of Connecticut.
- Brood X Cicadas About to Emerge. 2021. Podcast. Newsradio WINA
- Conrad, Kirsten. 2021. Preparing Your Garden for the Seventeen-Year Cicadas. PowerPoint Presentation Handout. Virginia Cooperative Extension.
- Conrad, Kirsten. 2021. Protecting Young Trees from Periodical Cicadas. Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia.
- Friend to Cicadas – in English y Español – https://friendtocicadas.org
- Brood X in the Morning
From Master Gardener (and master photographer) Mary Free!
Additional Resources
Citizen Science
- Kritsky, Gene. Cicada Safari. App. Mount Saint Joseph University, Cincinnati OH.
- Orr, Samuel. 2013. Video. Return of the Cicadas. Cicada life cycle in seven minutes.
In the News
- Downes, Laurence. 2021. Live like a cicada: Enter and exit singing. Washington Post.
- Fears, Darryl. 2021. Brood X Environment. Washington Post.
- Fenston, Jacob, A Fairfax Entomologist is Rapping His Welcome to the Brood X Cicadas. 2021, DCist.com.
- Higgins, Adrian. 2021. The cicadas are coming. But gardeners need not panic. Washington Post.
- Loehrke, Janet and Doyle Rice. 2021. When will the cicadas emerge in 2021? How long will they be around after they come out? When will they be back? USA Today.
- What is Brood X? When do cicadas come out in 2021? Answering your buggiest questions. 2021. Washington Post.
For Kids

- Keeping cicadas for a short period of time – Cicada Mania.
- Higman, Sarah. Cicada activities for curious kids! – Mother Natured.
- Activities:
- Bittel, Jason. 2021. Billions of Cicadas are Coming! Washington Post Kidspost.
Activities
- Cicada in Flight – Coloring Page
- Cicada – Coloring Page
- Make your own cicada!
- Use markers, paint, clay, or other craft materials to make your own cicada model like Cecil!
Just Eat Them
- How to Cook Cicadas, According to 3 Richmond, Va., Chefs. 2013. Bon Appetit.
- Morona, Joey. 2019. Cicada recipes: How to cook these once every 17 years delicacies. Cleveland.com.
- Roach, John. 2013. Cicada Recipes: Bugs Are Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Food. National Geographic.
- Ruberry, Erin. 2013. Cicada Recipes: 10 Ways to Use Cicadas in Your Next Soup, Sandwich or Dessert. Huffington Post.