Brood XIX: 13-year cicadas to emerge in Tennessee in 2024. Here's where and when

Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read
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One brood of cicadas has been waiting a long time to emerge; now is their time.

Brood XIX has been dormant for the past 13 years, but will soon be "screaming" their love across Tennessee. The brood is set to emerge around mid-May 2024 in Tennessee and be around for a month as the insects try to find mates before hibernating once again.

Not all of Tennessee will not have to deal with the cicadas like it does with the 17-year periodical cicadas, according to the University of Tennessee Extension. Cicadamania.com says the following Tennessee counties are expected to see cicadas this year: Blount, Cheatham, Clay, Davidson, Grundy, Hamilton, Jackson, Loudon, Macon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Putnam, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Smith, Stewart and Summer

Here's when to expect the swarm and just why these screaming/singing insects only come up every couple of years.

When are cicadas expected to emerge?

Cicadas are expected to start emerging in multiple counties around the state starting mid-May and be around until mid-June. The timing of the emergence of Brood XIX all depends on the weather though.

The cicadas typically begin to emerge when the soil eight inches beneath the ground reaches 64 degrees.

How long is a cicada's life span?

The lifespan of cicadas is long but technically short.

Female cicadas lay eggs in trees. When they hatch, they drop to the ground and begin burrowing until they are about eight feet underground. And there they will stay for either 13 or 17 years, depending on which brood they are in, and then tunnel their way to the surface.

Once the adult cicadas surface, they linger for about five weeks before they start to die off.

Become a cicada expert: Here's 5 facts about cicadas to share at your next tailgate or barbeque

Where is cicada Brood XIX expected to emerge?

Tennessee is one of 14 states expected to see Brood XIX emerge from their 13-year slumber. Here's which other states expected to have the cicadas.

  • Alabama

  • Arkansas

  • Georgia

  • Illinois

  • Indiana

  • Kentucky

  • Louisiana

  • Missouri

  • Mississippi

  • North Carolina

  • Oklahoma

  • South Carolina

  • Virginia

Annual and periodical cicadas? What's the difference?

Cicadas aren't a rare thing and show up every year, but some years there are a lot more of them. And a lot louder.

You'll see hear annual cicadas on most summer nights in the South. The insects have green bodies and black eyes and are most active during the evening and nighttime hours.

Hear them: See and hear the cicada swarms across multiple states in these wild social media posts

Periodical cicadas, which are the ones emerging in just a few short months, have life cycles of either 13 or 17 years and come out in large groups called broods. Counties throughout middle Tennessee and in a handful of others will see the 13-year brood, while most of the state gets to hear the tones of the cicadas every 17 years. Periodical cicadas have red eyes.

Superstitions around cicadas

The University of Tennessee Extension compiled different superstitions that come with a large cicada brood.

American Indians believed that the large cicada emergence had evil significance. Early American colonists were familiar with the Biblical story of locust plagues in Egypt and immediately thought a “locust plague” was punishing them, colonist had never seen periodical cicadas until the insects suddenly appeared by the millions.

Today cicadas and locusts are still confused and cicadas are commonly called locusts. The term “locust” correctly refers to certain species of grasshoppers, according to UT Extension.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Brood XIX: Cicadas coming to Tennessee. Here's when and where