Indeed, some broods have already become extinct. In the late 19th century, one Brood (XXI) disappeared from north Florida and Georgia. Another (XI) has been extinct in northeast Connecticut since around 1954, and a third (VII) in upstate New York has shrunk from eight counties to one since mapping first began in the mid-1800s.

Climate change could also have farther-reaching effects. As the U.S. climate warms, longer growing seasons may provide a larger food supply. This may eventually change more 17-year cicadas into 13-year cicadas, just as past warming altered Magicicada neotredecim.

Early emergences occurred in 2017 in Cincinnati and the Baltimore-Washington metro area, and in 1969, 2003 and 2020 in the Chicago metro area, with more individuals participating in successive generations. We hypothesize that this was due to climate warming.

In 2024, 17-year Brood XIII will emerge geographically adjacent to 13-year Brood XIX. However, contrary to some recent media reports, they will not overlap. We know this because we have mapped them in previous generations when they emerged separately. In the area of adjacency, we are not able to tell the two broods apart. They are identical in appearance, song and genetics.

Researchers need detailed high-quality information to track cicada distributions over time. Citizen scientists are key to this effort because periodical cicada populations are so large and their adult emergences last only a few weeks.

Volunteers who want to help document the 2024 emergence can download the Cicada Safari mobile phone app, provide snapshots and follow our research in real time online at www.cicadas.uconn.edu. Cicadas will be hard to ignore if they’re in your area, so why not learn to appreciate them and have fun?

This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 12, 2021.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: John Cooley, University of Connecticut and Chris Simon, University of Connecticut

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John Cooley receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society.

Chris Simon has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, the National Geographic Society and the New Zealand Marsden Fund.