Oklahoma State Entomology Professor Explains Double Cicada Brood Emergence

Two different broods of cicadas will emerge this spring at the same time, a first since 1803. 

While the two broods are mainly expected to overlap closer to Illinois, an Oklahoma State professor says far eastern Oklahoma could have a chance to see them. 

Professor Wyatt Hoback says there's a 13-year brood and a 17-year brood of cicadas about to emerge, and the two happening at the same time is rare, a once-in-a-lifetime event. 

“Last happened in 1803, and it won’t happen again until 21-something, so it’s a really rare event that the calendars for these two species happened to overlap,” he said.

Professor Hoback says these are different from the dog-day cicadas we see in Oklahoma every year. 

“Periodic cicadas, different species, and they only come out 13 or 17 years, and they all come out at once, and this is so birds, mammals, other animals can’t eat them all," he said.

There's a 13-year brood and a 17-year brood, but Professor Hoback says each brood has multiple species.

The broods have been underground all this time. They'll come out and fly around for about two weeks before they die. 

"Cicadas are underground; they feed on the roots of trees, but they don’t cause harm, and then they crawl up the side of the tree, break out of their shell, fly around, and make noise," he said.

He says it's going to be loud, but it's still going to be a cool and rare thing to see. 

“We’re not going to be affected here by this mass emergence, but if you are in an area that has them, just enjoy it. They’re a little bit loud and obnoxious, but they aren’t doing any harm," he said.

When the cicadas will come out is based on soil temperature; he expects it to happen around April.