The Buzz on Cicadas

First published June 2016
Updated July 2026

I am not an insect expert, but as the mom of three boys, I have had a bit of insect experience. We have raised caterpillars into butterflies, we had a ladybug infestation, and who could forget the time my youngest ate a grub while my husband was “watching” him.

From April through June, people living in certain parts of the country experience an overabundance of (or what can seem like a takeover by) brood cicadas, which are huge populations of cicadas that live underground for either 13 or 17 years and emerge together. Even when your area isn’t on the map for a scheduled brood emergence, cicada stragglers generally make their appearance (a much smaller “invasion”) annually in mid- to late-summer. The buzzing is a prominent summer sound: the noise male cicadas make to attract females can be quite loud; reaching over 100 decibels!

Years ago when I started to learn about cicadas, I decided to make it a family project – the boys and I watched several videos on the phenomenon of the Brood V cicadas which were emerging in parts of the Midwest and eastern United States; specifically locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Entomologists (bug scientists) say that there can be up to one billion cicadas per square mile in areas affected by a brood emergence!

Here is what we learned:

• The buzzing you hear from male cicadas is how they attempt to attract a mate.
• Females respond with a clicking sound (interestingly, if you snap your finger to mimic the clicking sound, a male cicada will follow you anywhere).
• Periodical cicada nymphs live under the ground feeding on tree sap for 13 or 17 years (annual cicada nymphs live below ground for two to nine years).
• After the nymphs emerge from underground, they attach themselves to a tree and change into the adult form, leaving behind an intact shell.
• Adults mate, the female lays her eggs inside of small branches, then all adults die.
• After feeding on liquid from the tree, the young cicadas in a brood will fall to the ground, crawl beneath it, and stay there for the next 13 or 17 years when the cycle begins again.

The most important thing for parents to know is that cicadas are not poisonous, do not sting or bite and, in fact, many consider cicadas to be a delicacy – they are gluten free, low fat and high in protein. You can find them fried, grilled, in ice cream, and more, so if your child eats a cicada, there is no need to rush to the emergency room or urgent care. They are only here for 2-4 weeks, so enjoy them!