Brood X Cicadas

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

Chapter Breaks

00:00:00 Introduction, History & Distribution
00:14:20 Species
00:15:40 Lifecycle
00:25:11 Damage
00:38:45 Management
00:49:56 Resources

CORRECTION: Photo seen at 00:47:50 should be attributed to Henry Staples & Claudia Gerwin.

This cicada has just emerged from its exoskelton at 8:35 a.m. Its wings will eventually expand and its body will turn black as it hardens.
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

Cecil is a papier-mâché cicada used to illustrate the life cycle and habits of Brood X. Created by Master Gardener Intern Courtney Turner

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.