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3w ago

Billions of Brood XIV Cicadas Begin Rare 17-Year Emergence Across Eastern U.S.

Soil temperatures reaching 64°F trigger the synchronized surfacing of this massive brood, with limited populations in northern Georgia.

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A Cicada. Photo: Varghese K James
Periodical cicadas are usually black or brown with red or orange eyes. This cicada is a 13-year species from Brood XIX in 2024.
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Overview

  • Brood XIV, the second-largest group of 17-year cicadas, is beginning its synchronized emergence across much of the eastern United States in May and June 2025.
  • The emergence is triggered by soil temperatures reaching 64°F, with peak activity expected in hardwood forest regions from Long Island to Tennessee.
  • In Georgia, populations are limited to spotty appearances in Fannin, Lumpkin, Rabun, and Union counties, according to University of Georgia expert Nancy Hinkle.
  • Cicadas play a critical ecological role by providing food for predators, aerating soil, and enriching ecosystems with nutrients as they decompose.
  • Warming temperatures linked to climate change may influence future cicada cycles, potentially causing earlier emergences or shorter underground intervals over time.